Most Covid deaths in Lucknow of advanced stage patients

LUCKNOW: The increase in the number of Covid-19 deaths in the city also bares the fact that nearly 60% of the deceased were those who reached hospital in the last stage of illness.
Even on Thursday, as toll reached 560 with six more deaths, two patients, aged 21 and 45 years, were brought to KGMU at an advanced stage. They died of respiratory failure within hours of admission.

Doctors said a majority of patients brought in advanced stages were not aware that shortness of breath or breathlessness is a major Covid-19 symptom. It indicates that lungs are not able to function properly due to infection. The condition leads to decline in blood oxygen level that affects other organs, resulting in death, they added.
Experts said lack of awareness is because many are still not taking the pandemic seriously, thinking that since recovery rate is high, the disease will not make any significant impact to their lives. Such an attitude has spiked transmission rate, which has led to increase in fatalities.
“Most people are not understanding the seriousness; not many are still wearing masks outside,” said Prof SK Das, former head of rheumatology department and ex-faculty of medicine.
“Those in the younger age group and those tired of sitting at home are risking their lives knowingly. Anyone, symptomatic or asymptomatic, should know that breathlessness is not the beginning Covid-19, but the sign of an advanced stage,” he added.