‘Post-covid cardiac complications rising’

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals has said patients with post-covid cardiac complications are rising. The hospital’s doctors have reported that the burden of heart diseases may increase in the coming months.

Sedentary lifestyle inducing post-covid cardiac complications to rise

Apollo Hospitals said lockdown-induced sedentary lifestyle has given rise to increase in diabetes, hypertension, smoking and stress among many people, leading to greater risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The country has been batting the Covid-19 pandemic since early 2020, and saw the worst phase during its second wave, the peak being from April-June, with Delhi being badly affected where beds and oxygen crisis compounded people’s sufferings.

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“The expected increase in the number of patients with heart-related complications is getting evident day by day as the number of consultations for post-Covid cardiac complications like myocarditis are gradually increasing,” the hospital claimed in a statement. Due to this, post-covid cardiac complications are also rising.

Capital city reports 20 covid-19 cases

Meanwhile, Delhi reported 20 Covid-19 cases while the positivity rate stood at 0.04 per cent, according to data shared by the health department here. 47,845 tests – 39,391 RT-PCR tests and 8,454 rapid antigen tests — were conducted a day ago, the bulletin said.

“The death toll due to the coronavirus infection in Delhi stands at 25,085.  The number of cumulative cases on Saturday stood at 14,38,517. Over 14.13 lakh patients have recovered from the virus,” it said. Delhi battled a brutal second wave of the pandemic in April-May that claimed a massive number of lives, with the issue of oxygen shortage at city hospitals across the city adding to the woes. Reports also said that cases of post-covid cardiac complications were far and few.

The capital has recorded only three fatalities due to the infection in September so far. With the new cases, the overall infection tally in the city climbs to 1,43,869. Of this, over 14.13 lakh patients have recovered from the disease. The death toll stands at 25,085. Delhi reported 28 cases of the infection on Sunday and 41 on Saturday. On Friday, it reported 55 Covid cases and one death. There are 379 active cases in Delhi, of which 116 are in home isolation.

The government has taken steps to increase the number of hospital beds and accommodate up to 37,000 cases a day and become self-reliant in terms of oxygen supply. People in their post-Covid recovery are facing such complications due to the inflammation and damage caused by the virus in the body, and such damage becomes easier if any part of the body is slightly unhealthy,” it said. The bulletin also said cases of post-covid cardiac complications were being reported also. Doctors at this leading private facility in south Delhi, also claimed that the burden of heart disease may rise manyfold in the coming months.

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With lockdowns and sedentary lifestyle during the pandemic, there is an emergence of post-covid cardiac complications.

UP sees dip in Covid cases

With emphasis on strict screening, proper treatment and aggressive vaccination, Uttar Pradesh has been able to restrict the number of fresh COVID-19 cases below 100 for over two consecutive months. This also spells good news as there has been a trickle of post-covid cardiac complications also.

Indicating a steep decline in COVID-19 cases, UP has reported just 11 new novel coronavirus infections. The new cases of the deadly viral infection have declined by more than 38,000 from its peak at 38,055 on April 24. The state has also been able to restrict the daily Covid case count below 50 for nearly 40 days in a row.

The lesser number of new cases on Monday, however, is not because Uttar Pradesh has decreased Covid sample testing as under its stringent T3 (Trace, Test and Treat) initiative, a total of 1.82 lakh samples were tested  for coronavirus infection in the last 24 hours. Continuing its positive recovery trend, Uttar Pradesh also reported that as many as 15 more COVID-19 patients had recovered, taking the total recovery to more than 16.86 lakh so far.

Out of the 75 districts in the state, only eight districts reported fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours while the active and new infections declined to zero in as many as 31 districts.