Mild symptoms keep hospitalisations low

CHENNAI: Even as the cases of COVID-19 continue to increase across the State, hospitalisations remain low, as patients testing positive have only mild symptoms, and are being managed with home isolation.

There’s minimal to nil cases of hospitalisation in most government hospitals in the city, though they continue testing.

“We’ve tested 56 swabs in the last 24 hours but none were positive for COVID. We’re not seeing a surge in the hospitalisations currently. Most cases are treated in home isolation itself. Also, hospitalisation due to water-borne or vector-borne diseases remain low,” explained Dr P Balaji, dean, Stanley Medical College and Hospital.

Even among children in general, COVID cases are low, and the same trend continues at GHS too, as most cases there are of common fever and flu. “We don’t have any COVID cases among children admitted here. There are no admissions or suspected cases either,” said Dr Rema Chandramohan, director, Institute of Child Health.

The referral-cases of fever and cold from the fever camps also do not indicate any major COVID surge in the city. “There are routine cases of flu, cold and cough. I haven’t seen a surge in Chennai, and those who test positive for COVID do not require hospitalisations. We do not have any case of COVID-19 currently in this hospital,” said Dr R Muthuselvan, dean, Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital.

Officials from the Tambaram Taluk GH also stated that the public needs to stay cautious of the symptoms of common cold and fever and practice safety precautions. However, there are no severe cases of COVID-19 cases being reported currently.