B.1.617 variant, delay in treatment behind Jammu’s higher death rate
JAMMU: Rapid increase of the infectious B.1.617 variant, delay in hospitalisation of critical patients, only one major referral hospital for 10 districts of Jammu region and reluctance to get tested besides inappropriate Covid behaviour are the key reasons behind the sudden surge in Covid deaths in Jammu, experts have suggested.
An analysis of official data from May 8 to May 18 (Tuesday) shows that Jammu region has recorded 435 Covid deaths as compared to 246 in Kashmir.
Till Tuesday, Jammu district had recorded a death toll of 862 — highest among all 20 districts of J&K. The date-wise data of Covid deaths in Jammu also projects a scary picture. Forty-two people died on May 8, 32 on May 9, 39 on May 10, 41 on May 11, 46 on May 12, 35 on May 13, 39 on May 14, 37 on May 15, 31 on May 16, 54 on May 17 and 39 died on May 18. The data also showed that from May 8 to May 17, 24,618 new positive cases were recorded in Kashmir against 16,380 in Jammu.
Principal of the GMC Jammu, Dr Shashi Sudan Sharma, said, “Cases of B.1.617 variant have gone up in Jammu and our mortality rate is higher than Kashmir’s. Higher positivity rate of Kashmir and lower positivity in Jammu has no correlation because people in Jammu are not coming forward for getting tested.”
“A fear may have crept into them and they are not coming forward for Covid tests. However, at our GMC testing lab, the positivity rate is above 30%, which means one third of the patients tested in our lab are Covid positive,” she added.
Dr Sharma further said that there are entire families and homes in Jammu, which are Covid positive.
“We are just seeing a tip of the iceberg in Jammu in terms of positivity rate, which is much higher,” she added. The B.1.617 variant’s transmissibility is 22 times higher than other variants.
In March, routine sequencing of positive samples from Jammu had reported that 60% had UK variant. In April, the percentage of UK variant dropped to 47% and B.1.617 increased from 5.8% to 38% and it is believed that the Indian variant has now overtaken UK variant in Jammu division. Experts feel that by now, it might have gone over 50% in Jammu. The genome sequencing was done by NCDC.
Dr Sharma emphasised upon following Covid apt behaviour and described it as the only option available to contain the spread of contagion.
However, she regretted that critical patients were reaching late to the hospitals.
“25%-30% patients are being brought dead to us from Rajouri, Kathua and other places. Who is to be blamed? The virus is changing its character. Three doctors died of it… this variant is highly virulent and mutating, but people are not realising the gravity of the situation. If virus continues to spread like this, then we may not know how many new mutants will generate,” she added.