COIMBATORE: The ESI Hospital is witnessing a 20 to 30 per cent surge in symptomatic condition among infected persons in the recent past. Health Department sources say, the sudden spike in the symptomatic cases, is suspected to be the change in the virus strain. Though the recovery rate for the people with symptomatic and asymptomatic conditions are the same, it is also opined that the symptomatic positive patients are more aware of the infection when compared to the asymptomatic cases.
The doctors have also identified lung damage in infected patients that could get worse if not diagnosed at an early stage. Deputy Director of Health Services G Ramesh Kumar said, “A person with Coronavirus symptoms must get tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible. Until a couple of months ago, the infected persons were found with asymptomatic conditions.” Ramesh explained the symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cold, cough, loss of taste sensation, throat pain, headache, etc. He added that if a person with symptoms fails to get diagnosed at an earlier stage, he/she would suffer lung damage.
“Smoking usually damages one’s lungs and if a smoker is affected by Covid, his/her condition would further deteriorate,” Ramesh added. According to ESI Hospital Dean A Nirmala, the condition of lung damage is identified in 40 to 50 per cent of patients. She said, “All infected patients undergo CT scans before treatment. Other than the medication, patients are fed with nutritious food, helping in their speedy recovery.” In a highest single-day spike in the district, as many as 31 people, including 11 high-risk contacts of a 28-year-old deceased man tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday.