Bengaluru: Two unvaccinated pregnant women in their 20s die of Covid

In a clear indication of the consequences of not vaccinating, two pregnant women in their 20s have died of the novel coronavirus in the city.

One is a 21-year-old named Akshaya (name changed), who succumbed to the disease on October 7. The other is a 29-year-old named Nimra (name changed), who died on October 6.

Health Commissioner, D Randeep, said there was no evidence to suggest that either woman had received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Both women had been rushed to the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) when their conditions deteriorated.

Nimra, who was diagnosed with the disease on October 6, was 26 weeks into her pregnancy, according to Dr Smitha Segu, nodal officer for Covid-19 at the BMCRI. She was presented to the hospital late for treatment. Her oxygen saturation was 45 per cent when she arrived, Dr Smitha said.

The hospital said that it was able to elevate her saturation levels to 83 per cent.

"She was monitored in the ICU where antibiotics, steroids and supportive measures were given. Nevertheless, her condition began to deteriorate. She suffered cardiorespiratory arrest at 2:40 pm on October 6 and could not be revived through CPR," Dr Smitha added.

The second fatality happened a day later when 21-year-old Akshaya, who had been diagnosed with the disease on October 2, died from a series of complications.

"She had suffered an Intrauterine Fetal Demise (IUFD) and subsequently developed acute fatty liver of pregnancy and cerebral edema,” Dr Smitha said. “All supportive measures were given but she could not be revived."

Randeep said that the deaths could have been prevented had the women been vaccinated and been admitted for treatment early into the infection. "All the young people who have died recently are those who have poor health or comorbidities. It is therefore very important for anyone above the age of 18 to get vaccinated now," he said.

Government data shows that there have been 580 deaths of people aged 0 to 29 this year. Out of this, 527 were aged 20-29 and six were aged 19. Three deaths of 19-29 aged individuals have occurred this month. Three had happened in September and 13 in August.

Virologist Dr Jacob T John noted that those who refuse vaccinations are "not only endangering their own lives but are also inadvertently damaging society by keeping the virus circulating."

The deaths also highlight the challenge of overcoming last-mile vaccine hesitancy. Official data shows that 20 districts have achieved less than 89% first dose coverage. Randeep who was visiting Vijayapura district on Thursday noted that the district’s first dose coverage had reached 92%.

"Hesitancy was reduced through consultations with gram panchayats who made achieving milestones a matter of competitive spirit, plus incentives for villages which achieved coverage. We need to think of out-of-the-box solutions to cover the last mile," Randeep said.