80% deaths within one day of hospitalisation: Data

Data on COVID19 mortality in Kashmir reveals that most victims reach hospitals late, their deaths taking place within a day of reaching a health facility. Those with underlying diseases are the major casualties while young are not immune too, stats reveal.

Till 10 July evening, 145 people had died of COVID19 in Kashmir. Analysis of mortality data carried out by COVID19 Control Room Kashmir team reveals that 80 percent of the people who lost lives to the viral disease died within 24 hours of reaching a health facility. About 10 percent of deaths, the figures state, have taken place between 2-8 days of being admitted.

   

Dr Rehana Kausar, epidemiologist Kashmir who leads the contact-tracing team stationed at the Control Room here, said the figures are “worrisome”. She said that most people with COVID19 symptoms reported to the health facility late. “The fact that about 8 out of 10 people died within a day of reaching hospital is proof enough that COVID19 symptoms were not being taken seriously,” she said.

The data further reveals that over 81 percent of those who died due to the virus had underlying diseases, mostly diabetes, hypertension, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, kidney disease and heart disease. A number of patients had cancers of varied nature. In other words, Dr Kausar said, 20 percent of the people who died of the viral disease were otherwise healthy individuals, with no underlying disease or condition.

Dr Kausar added that the figures also elucidated how the elderly and those with underlying diseases were getting exposed to the virus. “Is anyone taking the advisories seriously? The high-risk group needs to be protected from the virus and it is important for the young to exercise infection control measures for that,” she said.

“Each death leads us to at least 20 new cases,” she said adding that following guidelines such as face masks and social distancing were not being followed the way they should be. “The death of loved ones, who are suffering from a risky health condition or of a healthy young family member, is something no one of us should be contributing to,” she said.

The mortality data reveals 75 percent of the deceased were males, while 25 percent were females. The youngest person to die of COVID19 in Kashmir was a 15-day old baby from Srinagar while the oldest person to die was a 95-year old from Shopian. 19 people who have died due to COVID19 in Kashmir were less than 45 years old.

Among the 145 deaths, 23 people were sampled after death, their reports ready at least a day later. In addition, COVID19 test reports of 7 were received after their deaths, although they had been sampled earlier.

Srinagar district has been the most affected district by COVID19 deaths. As per official data, 39 deaths have taken place in Srinagar till date, followed by Baramulla with 31 deaths. The first COVID19 death took place in Srinagar on 26 March.

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