Mumbai recorded its highest single-day jump on Thursday with 991 new cases, taking its tally to 16,738. Twenty-five more deaths were also reported, pushing the city’s toll to 621. The city accounted for 61% of the 1,012 deaths recorded in the State.
Doctors have observed that co-morbidities and age play a crucial role in the recovery of COVID-19 patients. Additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani said, “Co-morbidities continue to be the major contributor to deaths recorded so far. Nearly 75% patients who succumbed to the virus had underlying conditions.”
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Mr. Kakani said doctors have pointed out that delay in approaching medical facilities for treatment and co-morbidities that went undiagnosed led to the death of patients below 40 years. Of the latest victims, 16 had co-morbidities. One patient was below 40 years, 10 were between 40 and 60 years, and 14 were above 60 years.
Dr. Jalil Parkar from Lilavati Hospital said elderly and immunocompromised patients developed serious complications. “In our observation, such patients go into early acute respiratory distress syndrome [ARDS]. They have lung infiltrates and most of them come to the hospital in the early or later stages of ARDS,” he said. Dr. Parkar said the average time between onset of symptoms and reaching the hospital varies based on patients’ economic background.
Patients in their 40s succumbed during the initial days of the outbreak, according to a city-based infectious disease expert. The expert said, “Now, we mostly have critical patients who are elderly and have co-morbidities.” The expert said chances of recovery also vary with age. “Patients in their 20s recover within two to three days. Those in their 30s take four to five days, and patients in their 40s take between six and seven days,” the expert said, adding that the younger the patients, the faster they recover. The expert said, “There are always exceptions, but this has been our broad observation.”