Delta variant infection in Tripura, late diagnosis increases risk factors, says Expert
This report by our special correspondent from Tripura will highlight the Covid scene in that state
Published:
06 Jun 2021 03:00am IST
06 Jun 2021 03:00am IST
Double Mutant of coronavirus, recently renamed as Delta variant by the WHO, posing a severe threat to the people of the north-eastern state- Tripura as around 50-60 per cent of the deadly corona virus-infected persons are affected by this variant, said an expert.
"Like some other states, the infection of Delta strain in Tripura is high-- around 50 to 60 percent. The Double variant is infecting the young people, even the children as well," said Dr. Tapan Majumder, who is head of the Microbiology department of Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and GB Pant hospital here.
As the Delta strain is now claiming comparatively more lives than the previous ones, Dr. Majumder explained that a high dose of infection of the virus, a late diagnosis that increases the risk factors, and immune deficiency were the principal causes as per the death audit.
"While analyzing some of the RT-PCR test reports of the Covid-infected patients who died, we found that the viral load or the infective dose of the virus was very high in most of the cases. They might have been attacked by the virus in an unsafe position, it does mean that they were infected by the virus in unmasked condition, and the person who transmitted the virus was also in unmasked position," Dr. Majumder said.
"Late diagnosis and less immunity power of the infected persons are also the reasons behind such deaths. Some people often after, developing symptoms, are avoiding tests or care with a range of excuses. In that case, by the time the patients start suffering from breathing problems and reach the hospital, the infection reaches a high level," he said.
Dr. Majumder also elaborated that as young people have the capacity to tolerate heavy hypoxia, sometimes they don't realize the breathing problem even if the oxygen saturation level comes down to 80 unless they monitor it by a pulse oximeter.
Dr. Deep Kumar Debbarma, Tripura State Surveillance Officer for COVID19, said every death was unfortunate. But the doctors and the other healthcare staff were delivering their best at different levels to save every life.
"When the aged persons suffer from breathing problems at the oxygen saturation level below 90, the young people realize it when the oxygen saturation level comes down to 60 or 70 in some cases. In such a condition, if the patients visit any hospital, they will hardly survive even with the best of infrastructures. Because, by that time, they already start suffering from multi-organ failure. In that case, awareness may lower the risk factor," the microbiologist explained.
In this context, Dr. Majumder said that most of the deaths of the aged Covid patients were mainly due to comorbidities.
Meanwhile, an official report said that the Covid 2.0 had killed 173 people in Tripura as of June 5.
Dr. Deep Kumar Debbarma, Tripura State Surveillance Officer for COVID19, said every death was unfortunate. But the doctors and the other healthcare staff were delivering their best at different levels to save every life.
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