BHUBANESWAR: People with low immunity are becoming seriously ill due to breakthrough Covid infection and in many cases they required long treatment, a team of experts at the SUM Ultimate Medicare here said on Wednesday. Warning the vaccinated people, who may get the infection for not adhering to Covid appropriate behaviour, Head of the department of Critical Care Medicine in the hospital Prof Banambar Ray said individuals with weakened immune system are at higher risk of getting breakthrough infection because the vaccine is less effective in such cases.
“Patients infected despite having been immunised required hospitalisation for a period of one month to five months. This condition is known as long Covid,” he said. Chief of Medical Services Dr Biraj Mohan Mishra informed that two persons who were critically affected by Covid-19 and treated in the hospital for a long time have recovered due to relentless efforts of doctors.
A retired bureaucrat Gautam Buddha Mukherjee (72) and engineering student Mohammed Shafaq Ali recovered from the disease recently. With comorbidities, Mukherjee spent 16 days in ICU as his oxygen saturation level remained low. He was treated for nearly two months in the hospital as he suffered from long Covid, Mishra said.
Treatment of Ali was a greater challenge as the patient remained critical for a long time. He was on ventilator and a tracheostomy done as his lungs were in bad shape. “Treating the patient was very difficult. We are glad to save his life,” Prof Ray added. The critical care team comprised cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Banabihari Mishra, Consultant in the general surgery department Dr Satyajit Rath, Senior Clinical Nutritionist Sushree Sangita Jena and Physiotherapist P Balakishore.