The Covid count in West Bengal had a steep jump on Thursday and so did the number of hospital admissions, but officials of several healthcare units said most patients were either suffering from comorbidities or do not have isolation facilities at home.
On Thursday, West Bengal recorded 745 new Covid cases, compared with 295 on Wednesday, according to the state health department. Sources said Kolkata recorded the highest number of cases - more than 400.
The number of Covid patients admitted in hospitals across the state has gone up from 72 on Wednesday to 96 on Thursday, the health department said.
“It is a fact that the number of daily cases has gone up sharply but at this point there is no need for panic. We are closely monitoring the situation and asking people to wear masks,” a senior official of the health department said.
Several hospitals in Kolkata saw a spurt in admissions on Thursday. But officials of the hospitals said most of those who were testing positive at their units were in home isolation with mild or no symptoms.
Five Covid patients were admitted at Peerless Hospital on Thursday, the highest since early March, said officials.
“Three of the patients are on oxygen support and another patient, who has several severe comorbidities, is on ventilator,” said Sudipta Mitra, chief executive of Peerless Hospital.
“One of the patients had been discharged after being treated for other ailments and then returned with fever and got admitted again after testing positive for Covid. The person said he decided to get admitted because of panic.”
At the RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences, three Covid patients got admitted late on Wednesday.
“All three patients suffer from renal failure and are in the critical care unit. Covid has led to further complications so they have been admitted,” said R. Venkatesh, regional director, east and south, of Narayana Health, which runs the Mukundapur hospital.
“In the last couple of days, 14 people have tested positive for Covid at our diagnostic laboratory. However, most of them, including our nurses and doctors, are in home isolation with mild or no symptoms,” he said.
Altogether, 21 patients are being treated at the three units of the AMRI Hospitals — in Dhakuria, Mukundapur and Salt Lake.
Six of them got admitted on Thursday.
“Eight patients are in critical care because they have comorbidities. Most of the others got admitted because they do not have isolation facilities at home. Their conditions are stable,” said Rupak Barua, group CEO of AMRI.
Belle Vue Clinic had no new patients till Thursday evening, said an official.
“We are having four patients, some of whom are requiring oxygen. But all patients are in stable condition,” said Pradip Tondon, CEO, Belle Vue Clinic.