Kashmir: COVID-19 patients recovering fast, none on ventilator


14 positive patients test negative on retest

Ishtiyaq Ahmed

Srinagar, April 8: None of the patients, who tested positive for COVID-19  in Kashmir have been put on ventilator or admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The authorities here in three major COVID-19- hospitals claimed that patients were recovering fast while repeat test of 14 positive patients has already came negative.

Medical Superintendent SKIMS Soura, Chest Diseases hospital Dalgate, and Jawahar Lal Nehru Memorial (JLNM) hospital Rainawari, while speaking to Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS), disclosed even though they have been treating Coronavirus patients since March 18 onwards, but none was put on ventilator or admitted in the ICU so far.

“Fortunately we have no Coronavirus patient on ventilator or in the ICU. All patients are stable and even I can say majority of them are recovering fast,” said, SKIMS Soura Medical Superintendent, Farooq Ahmad Jan.
He said, “So far 329 suspected COVID-19 patients were treated at the hospital. “846 tests were conducted of which 54 tested positive and rest negative. At present we have 28 patients who are admitted in the hospital. But none of them is on ventilator or in ICU.”

He said that the condition of one COVID-19 positive patient deteriorated recently but thank God, he recovered sooner than expected. “Otherwise, we were planning to put him on a ventilator but later, we decided not to as his condition improved,” the MS said.

Sources in the SKIMS said that  so far no COVID-19 patients were classified as “critical” and majority of the cases are only “mild.”

“There is a part of luck involved and above all, it’s Allah’s mercy on us,” the medicos said. “Once the patient is on ICU, it’s all up to Almighty when he or she would be off the ventilator. Putting a person on ventilator itself means, the patient is very sick,” one of the doctors said..

“Ventilators are required for COVID-19 patients who develop acute respiratory distress syndrome when the lungs are filled with fluids that make it difficult to breathe,” they added.

“A ventilator is used when lungs are filled with fluid. Such patients find it very difficult to be oxygenated in a normal way. The only way to manage is to put the patient on ventilator assistance,” said the doctor.

Similarly, at the Chest Disease hospital Srinagar so far 14 patients have recovered after they tested positive for the deadly virus. “In total, 25 patients tested positive. Of them 14 recovered after spending time in isolation. Their tests were again conducted and they tested negative,” Medical Superintendent CD hospital Dr Saleem Tak said.

He said that at present eight positive patients are admitted in its isolation cum quarantine facility and they are gradually improving. “Thanks to Almighty, none of the patients deteriorated to an extent that we could shift them in the ICU or put them on the ventilator. All are improving gradually,” he said.

At the JLNM Hospital in Ranawari there are 12 positive Coronavirus patients including a toddler and her seven-year-old sibling.

“All the 12 patients are undergoing treatment. None has recovered but the condition of none has either deteriorated too. No one is on ventilator or ICU. Hope all the 12 will recover soon,” Medical Superintendent of JLNM, Dr Roshan din Kasana said.

According to the recent reports not more than 230 ventilators are available in J&K and that the government has ordered for more. (KINS)

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