Govt chest hospital designated facility for ILI, SARI treatment

The Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) has been declared as the designated facility to treat Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illnesses (SARI).

Out of the 211 beds in the institute allocated for SARI patients, who are treated as Covid-19 suspects, 48 are occupied currently. The hospital has seen 103 SARI cases from January 1, 46 of whom are found with Covid-19.

RGICD director Dr C Nagaraj told DH that the average ILI cases coming to the hospital are 35. They are not admitted because only the upper respiratory tract is infected in them. “Their symptoms are mostly fever, and they get treated as outpatients and are sent home. SARI patients have bilateral pneumonia and are, therefore, admitted,” he said, adding that the daily SARI cases treated at the hospital stand at 78.

Nine out of the 22 SARI ventilators at the hospital are occupied. The hospital also has 12 High-Dependency Unit (HDU) beds, all of which are vacant.

Dr Nagaraj said a clear picture of whether the city has passed its worst in terms of the Covid outbreak will emerge by February first week.

Pulmonologist Dr Ravindra Mehta said 50 per cent of SARI patients coming to Apollo Hospital-Jayanagar are Covid positive. Relatives of chronic lung disease patients are mostly found with ILI, 45 per cent of whom are Covid positive.

“All patients are considered Covid suspects unless proven otherwise since the prevalence is high,” Dr Mehta said. “Clinically, if they have an ongoing fever, look sicker, if the lung function has gone down, or if the X-ray findings are indicative of an infection in the lower respiratory tract, they are considered as SARI patients.”

Such patients are admitted to hospital if they have lower oxygen, which is the case with 25 per cent of them. “If they have a low-grade fever, they can go home,” Dr Mehta added.

He said the suggestion by former AIIMS director Dr M C Mishra to do away with the separation of Covid and non-Covid wards cannot be implemented because the treatment approach and infectivity pathway are different. “Segregation and precaution to be taken by staff are more important for Covid from the infectivity point of view,” he further said.

Pulmonologist Dr Vivek G from the Rajarajeshwari Medical College and Hospital also said the positivity rate among SARI patients is 25 per cent.

“SARI patients have hypoxia (absence of adequate oxygen in the tissues to sustain bodily functions), while some of them also have comorbidities like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or interstitial lung disease,” Dr Vivek said. “While a regular infection is a risk for them, Covid is even riskier.”

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