Health min Jain shifted to pvt hospital
nNEWDELHI: Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain was moved to a private hospital in the city for further treatment of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) because his condition deteriorated. The 55-year-old minister had tested positive for the infection on Wednesday, after initially testing negative.
He had been admitted to the Delhi government-run Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality hospital in Tahirpur with a high-grade fever and low oxygen saturation on Monday night. He had attended an all-party meeting held by the union home minister Amit Shah the same day.
He was put on intermittent oxygen to manage the symptoms. He had developed pneumonia, a known complication of Covid-19.
“The oxygen support was removed once his saturation level reached about 97%. However, he was not able to maintain the saturation and had to be put on oxygen intermittently. But he was doing well. Surprisingly, he started becoming breathless in the morning. And, the latest CT scan showed that the pneumonia patch has increased,” said a doctor from the hospital, on condition of anonymity.
He was moved to the intensive care unit of the hospital in the morning. As his symptoms worsened, the minister was shifted to Max hospital, Saket, according to sources in both hospitals. He continues to be on oxygen support. He is being treated by a critical care team. He continues to be “stable,” and is likely to get plasma therapy tonight, according to hospital sources.
The minister has no co-morbid conditions. The infection usually causes severe symptoms in older people and those with co-morbid conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, kidney and heart disease.
After Jain was shifted, union home minister Amit Shah tweeted, “Praying for the speedy recovery of Shri Satyendra Jain, Health Minister of Delhi who is battling with COVID-19 infection.”
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said, “Unfortunately, the doctors found in his CT scan his lung infection and pneumonia have increased. He’s been feeling exhausted and giddy since the morning. All treatment and shifting to another hospital will be done on doctors’ advice.”