KOLKATA: Even though the number of Covid cases has dropped sharply since the third wave peaked in early January, the number of deaths hasn't declined appreciably, hovering above 30 per day in Bengal and between 5 and 9 in Kolkata.
While the number has plateaued since mid-January, the death count has remained constant.
Experts believe there could be many reasons for this, including the fact that the major portion of casualties is being triggered by severe and multiple co-morbidities, in which Covid is incidental.
"Even though small in proportion to the number of cases, there was a significantly large number with severe disease who succumbed," said Raja Dhar, CMRI Hospital's director of pulmonology. "There are many who worsened progressively. Their deaths have spaced out over the last fortnight and swelled the casualty figure. Finally, there is a large section with multiple and severe co-morbidities, which are the principal illnesses for them. Covid was merely incidental for them, but they have been clubbed with 'Covid casualties'," Dhar explained.
‘Long Covid may be behind high fatality count’
At the peak of the third wave on January 9, Bengal had recorded 24,287 cases with 18 deaths. Kolkata clocked 8,712 new cases on that day with four casualties. While new cases slid to just 2,723 in the state and 324 in Kolkata on Wednesday, Bengal recorded 35 deaths, while Kolkata saw seven casualties.
Rahul Jain, Belle Vue Clinic’s internal medicine consultant, pointed out that Covid might have been the “tipping-over” factor for the severely co-morbid patients. “For the severely co-morbid patients, Covid acted as the final blow. They might have survived without the co-mborbidities, had they not contracted Covid,” added Jain.
On January15, Bengal recorded 39 deaths, including12 in Kolkata. It dropped marginally to 37 and 9 in the state and the city respectively on January 20. On January 26, Bengal had 34 deaths, including six in Kolkata.
A reason behind the number refusing to climb down significantly could be “long Covid”, said Bhaskar Narayan Chowdhury, a microbiologist at Peerless Hospital. “There are many who were hospitalized for three-four weeks and have been dying over the last few weeks. Apart from those with co-morbidities, there are those who have had post-Covid complications and had to be re-hospitalized. Their deaths, too, have kept the casualty figure constant,” said Chowdhury.
It may take two-three weeks more for the the number of casualties to slide, felt Diptendra Sarkar, professor, IPGMER. “This wave had a sharp climb but will have a long tail, with both cases and casualties continuing, though in small numbers,” he added.
