Covid-19: Ernakulam records highest fatality rate, Pathanamthitta lowest
KOCHI: The fatality rate in Ernakulam due to Covid-19 is highest among other districts in the state. The district is closely followed by Kannur and Kozhikode. However, the state capital which recorded the highest number of positive cases is only ninth in the list.
As per records, the fatality rate in Ernakulam, which has reported 1,863 Covid-19 positive cases till July 31, is 0.59% as against 0.27% in Thiruvananthapuram which has the highest number of 4,493 positive cases in the state.
Ernakulam reported 11 deaths while the state capital had reported 12 so far. Pathanamthitta, with 1,442 positive cases, reported lowest fatality at .07%. The fatality rate of the state is 0.31%.
Health officials and experts cite various reasons for high fatality rate in Ernakulam. A district health official said only five or six patients died of Covidrelated complications and the rest due to severe nature of comorbidities.
“Ernakulam does not have highest number of fatalities. Also, not all deaths recorded in the district were due to Covid-19. Only five had died of complications and the rest were due to comorbidities and they were tested positive later. People who died in accidents, suicides or because of illness like cancer were also diagnosed with Covid-19 later. The death in an old age home in Thrikkakara was also not due to Covid complications since the institution reported deaths of inmates every month. When a person dies, his sample is subjected to Truenat test and sent to NIV for further confirmation. It will take some time to officially declare if the person died of Covid-19. Our positivity rate also has come down. We conduct around 500 tests, including antigen ones, in the district. We don’t collect samples en masse as no such situation has come up in the district till now. Around 70% of samples being sent to private laboratories are from Ernakulam. We need to collect samples based on the surge only,” said a district health official.
Health officials and experts cite various reasons for high fatality rate in Ernakulam. A district health official said only five or six patients died of Covidrelated complications and the rest due to severe nature of comorbidities.
“Ernakulam does not have highest number of fatalities. Also, not all deaths recorded in the district were due to Covid-19. Only five had died of complications and the rest were due to comorbidities and they were tested positive later. People who died in accidents, suicides or because of illness like cancer were also diagnosed with Covid-19 later. The death in an old age home in Thrikkakara was also not due to Covid complications since the institution reported deaths of inmates every month. When a person dies, his sample is subjected to Truenat test and sent to NIV for further confirmation. It will take some time to officially declare if the person died of Covid-19. Our positivity rate also has come down. We conduct around 500 tests, including antigen ones, in the district. We don’t collect samples en masse as no such situation has come up in the district till now. Around 70% of samples being sent to private laboratories are from Ernakulam. We need to collect samples based on the surge only,” said a district health official.
However, the district is yet to record some deaths, including those who died in accidents, under Covid fatalities as they were reportedly tested positive posthumously. A man who died in an accident in Perumbavoor recently was tested positive.
“Covid positive patients aren’t getting timely treatment. When they develop symptoms, they visit nearby hospitals. They come to us when there is no respite. Many cases with serious comorbidities from the Aluva region reached us after the patients visited many hospitals. Patients lose precious treatment time due to this,” said another health official from Ernakulam.
Former president of Indian Medical Association Dr Junaid Rehman said, “Number of deaths in Ernakulam is less. But patients from other districts also come here for treatment due to the presence of several super speciality hospitals. Patients from Kozhikode and Idukki had died in Ernakulam and they were diagnosed with Covid-19. These cases also count in the district report,” he said.
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