Comorbid conditions underline reasons for COVID mortality in Jamshedpur

Coronavirus death toll reaches 447

Jamshedpur, April 19: In the last 24 hours 17 persons died of Covid at various hospitals in the city, taking the death toll to 447. Meanwhile, 676 new cases of Covid were reported, thus making the total number of Covid positive cases to 24,399.

The city witnessed its first COVID death when a 71-year-old man who was a resident of Sonari died at the Tata Main Hospital on July 4, 2020.

“As per our study those with existing ailments, prior conditions are getting infected. Any death, from a stroke, a heart attack, bronchopneumonia, everything is getting included as COVID-19,” said an official.

He noted that the problem is happening because of some other serious disease, those who have it are a little weak. Because of that weakness, COVID-19 infects them and kills them.

The district administration has asked all authorities to focus on adopting extra preparedness measures ahead of festive season and to ensure that the COVID protocol is in place in all shops and establishments and markets where people are likely to congregate.

The official pointed out that those who are asymptomatic actually pose the most danger for the society. “As the asymptomatic patients do not have any symptom of COVID, they move in the public places, including marketplaces, banks and on the streets and thus spread the virus unknowingly,” he said.

Meanwhile, crowded marketplaces and densely populated residential areas like Telco, Mango and Jugsalai have emerged as COVID-19 hotspots in the city.

“We have observed that thickly populated business and residential streets are susceptible to the quick spread of the virus. When the first positive case was reported at the basti, the administration failed to take any action. The victim’s house was not sealed and this led to the easy spread of the virus,” said a local resident.

Concerned with continuous rise in cases of Covid in the steel city and management displaying no-bed tags in most of the hospitals, the local traders’ body has appealed for a complete shutdown of shops and business establishments on every Tuesday.

Former president, Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industries (SCCI) Suresh Sonthalia called upon the traders to keep their shops and business establishments completely shut up so that the chain of Coronavirus can be broken.

Significantly, responding to Sonthalia’s appeal, office-bearers of the Retail Merchant Welfare Association, (RMWA)convened an emergency meeting and declared all the 500 members will keep their shops closed.