Doctors heave sigh of relief as number of active Covid cases falls in Patna

PATNA: After numerous gruelling shifts and sleepless days, doctors working in the Covid-19 wards of government and private hospitals have heaved a sigh of relief with a steady decline in the number of cases in the city. On Thursday evening, there were 1,894 active cases as against 4,139 on August 9 when the corona wards were fully occupied.
While talking to this reporter on Friday, Dr Samarendra Jha, assistant professor at the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), could not recall the last time he took a leave from work.He said, “Our leaves were cancelled by the government in March. Since then, we have been working around the clock. However, due to a fall in the number of active cases in the last few weeks, we have heaved a sigh of relief.”
Dr Jha stated that the decline in active cases is likely to be a transient phenomenon, which might soon be followed by a second wave of infections. “The easing of curbs under Unlock-4 is likely to trigger a surge in infections in the coming days. Hence, we are still on our toes,” he added.
Five months into the pandemic, the chaos and the fear surrounding it seem to have subsided. Dr Nargis Shamin, senior doctor of medicine at the PMCH, claimed that while the initial days of Covid-19 were nothing less than overwhelming, the situation had improved gradually.
“Initially, we did not know about the line of treatment and preventive measures. With increase in number of cases and shortage of PPE kits, we were working for six hours without any break,” she rued.
Speaking of the present scenario, Dr Shamin said, “Doctors and the people in general have eventually become more aware and are calmer now. With most of the cases falling in the mild category and patients choosing home isolation, the burden on hospitals has reduced.”
All India Institute of Medical Sciences-Patna doctor Sushmita Supriya pointed out that the number of active cases was directly proportional to the workload of the medical staff. “Although our shift timings remain the same, we are not under so much pressure now,” she said.
However, many experts have questioned the steady decline in the number of Covid cases in the state. Indian Academy of Pediatrics-Bihar president Dr Arun Shah said the actual number of cases in the state could be higher than the official figures.
“Majority of the tests in Bihar are being done through the rapid antigen method, which has a sensitivity of about 50%. With the easing of curbs under Unlock-4 and cases of reinfection emerging in the city, people should not take the pandemic lightly and continue to take precautions,” he added.