40% of level-3 covid-19 patients died during treatment in Jalandar

Jalandhar About 40% of covid-19 patients whose condition was critical and were referred to level-3 facilities in Jalandhar district lost their lives. Data shows that over 960 persons were admitted in level-3. Of them, around 380 (40%) died during treatment. The figures are from the outbreak of the pandemic to date.

Level-1 beds are for asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients; level-2 beds for mild to moderately symptomatic cases and level-3 is for critical patients needing ICU, ventilator, including pregnant and aged patients.

Jalandhar, is the only district in the state that has level-3 beds for critical patients, in the civil hospital, after the three medical colleges in Amritsar, Patiala and Faridkot.

Data shows that most of those who died were over 40 years and were being treated at private hospitals, as compared to government hospitals. Fifty-eight hospitals offer critical treatment to covid-19 patients, including the civil hospital, the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Army hospitals and those in the private sector.

Officials said the Jalandhar civil hospital has 54 level-3 beds around 310 patients admitted on level-3 beds of which 120 died. However, in a few private hospitals not even a single patient could survive while undergoing treatment.

“In the Arman hospital. seven covid-19 patients were admitted on level-3, None survived. In Gulab Devi hospital, of 37 admitted patients 26 succumbed; 37 people were admitted, of which 28 died in Johal hospital. In Kidney Hospital, 7 of 17 patients died,” data prepared from the department shows.

A senior doctor of a private hospital, on request of anonymity, said the reason for the high death rate of patients in level-3 is that most reported late at hospital and in critical condition. Comorbidities in people over 40 years was an additional factor contributing to the death.