Hospitalisations in Delhi during third Covid wave significantly lower than second

New Delhi, Jan 21: The hospital bed occupancy in Delhi during the third wave of COVID-19 has been significantly lower than the second wave last year, which had stretched the healthcare infrastructure to its limits, the Union government said on Thursday.

Presenting an analysis of the positivity rate and hospitalisation trends during the second and third wave in the national capital, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said the hospital bed occupancy remained significantly high from April 1 to almost May 20, 2021.

"However, despite an increase in the positivity rate in the current wave, those requiring (hospital) beds and hospitalisation during the third wave is significantly lower," Bhushan said. The number of active cases in Delhi is in the range of 75,000 to 78,000. Of these, only 2,500 to 2,600 patients are hospitalised, he added.

Giving information on the clinical parameters, Bhushan said around 99 per cent of the adult patients have common symptoms of fever (with or without rigors), cough, irritation in the throat and they are usually settling down after the fifth day.

Also, there is muscular weakness and tiredness along with that. In pediatric patients in the 11 to 18 age group, fever is the common symptom along with upper respiratory tract infection, he said.