VISAKHAPATNAM/VIJAYAWADA: In the wake of rising Coronavirus cases due to the new variant, the death of a 51-year-old woman, who was admitted to a hospital in Visakhapatnam for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and later tested positive for Covid-19, sparked rumours that she succumbed to the virus. However, doctors have clarified that the cause of the woman’s death cannot be solely attributed to Covid-19.
A resident of Kancharapalem in Visakhapatnam, she was admitted to the government chest hospital on December 22 with ARDS, acute kidney failure, and Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS).
The woman had tested positive for the virus when a routine Covid test was conducted. Subsequently, she was referred to King George Hospital (KGH) for further treatment and dialysis. She died on Tuesday around 3 am. The sample was sent to Vijayawada Central Laboratory for Genome sequencing. Reports to identify the variant are awaited.
KGH superintendent Dr P Ashok Kumar clarified that the cause of death should not be solely attributed to Covid-19. Further, he asserted that district officials are fully prepared to tackle medical emergencies. He added that around 160 beds are available at KGH. “Additionally, Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) are well-equipped with testing kits,” he said.
Meanwhile, the State reported three fresh Covid cases in the past 24 hours. According to officials, two new cases were reported in Srikakulam, and one in Visakhapatnam. Following the surge in fresh COVID cases, district Collector A Mallikarjuna has instructed medical officers to remain vigilant. “The district has reported 20 cases. A mock drill has been planned to prepare for the spike,” he said. He enquired about the availability of rapid test kits and called for special arrangements at KGH, chest, and respiratory hospitals.
“The goal is to prevent the situation from escalating through preemptive measures,” he explained.
Former COVID-19 nodal officer Dr PV Sudhakar urged the public not to panic. “JN.1 is a sub-variant of the Pirola Omicron variant,” he said. He reiterated that RT-PCR tests can only confirm the infection and not the variant. Genomic sequencing is necessary for variant detection, he added. However, he appealed to the people not to lower their guard. “The public is advised to strictly adhere to preventive measures such as wearing masks, maintaining social distance, avoiding crowded places, and restricting non-essential travel.