Increase in the pneumonia cases in Chennai, similarity of COVID and pneumonia symptoms confusing
Posted on: 15/Dec/2020 9:25:18 AM
The Covid-19 infection pandemic has reduced now in Chennai and in TN but that has not brought happiness now for many doctors and health experts etc. The reason for their worry was due to the increase in the number of persons affected with pneumonia now.
Chennai, hotspot for Coronavirus infection has witnessed many cases of pneumonia recently in the government hospitals. The shocking information is pneumonia has led to many deaths in all the government hospitals in Chennai city now. Normally, less than 500 pneumonia cases get reported in a year but in 2020 it was totally different. It was revealed that more than 5000 cases of pneumonia were reported from the government hospitals of Chennai.
In the year 2019, Chennai based Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital or KMCH recorded just 311 pneumonia cases but from 1st January to 30th November in this 20202 this hospital recorded atleast 4501 cases of pneumonia. It must be noted that these pneumonia cases have not been related to Covid-19 infection.
North Chennai based Stanley Medical College and Hospital or SMCH recorded around 270 pneumonia cases in 2019 but in 20220 this hospital had witnessed about 3000 cases till November.
Exact number of non-Covid pneumonia deaths was not available and this was mentioned by some authorities. Information is that many patients who were affected with Covid 19 also got affected with pneumonia. There is definitely an increase in the number of pneumonia cases in Chennai city and this has been confirmed by some doctors belonging to RGGGH and Omandurar Multi super speciality government general hospital.
Similar symptoms of Covid-19 and pneumonia creating confusion:
It was revealed that several cases of Coivid-19 infection are being categorised as pneumonia due to the similarity in their symptoms. It was later pointed out by some sources that the families of Covid 19 victims want the death certificate to show pneumonia as the reason for death. By this, the families would be able to perform the last rites of the person more easily. The experts have dismissed this claim and spoke about how the CT scan reports of pneumonia might give the same impression to that of Covid-19 infection but the swab test would be negative.
As per Dr. A. Mahilmaran, director of institute of Thoracic Medicine at RGGGH, Chennai, in the last few months the hospital has been receiving many such cases. He explained about how pneumonia deaths are recorded with other co-morbidities and not just as pneumonia deaths.
