20 more die in RMCH Covid-19 unit

A number of 20 more people, including seven women, died at Covid-19 unit of Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) during the last 24 hours till 6 am on Wednesday, taking the death toll to 120 in just seven days of this month.                                                                                  

RMCH Director Brig Gen Shamim Yazdani told newsmen that seven of those were the residents of Rajshahi, four from Pabna, three from Naogaon, two from Natore and Chapainawabganj each and one each from Kustia and Meherpur districts. They were aged between 31 and 65, he said, reports BSS.

Among the deaths, two tested positive for Covid-19 and the rest 18 had its symptoms, he said, adding that yesterday's fatality figure was 19.

Yazdani said the hospital had counted a record number of 25 fatalities caused by Covid-19 on June 29 last since the pandemic began. 

Some 66 more patients were admitted to the designated wards of the hospital afresh during the time, taking its number to 470. Another 20 patients are undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital.

"We’ve 454 beds in 14 wards dedicated for the Covid-19 patients in the hospital," he said, adding that two more wards with central oxygen supply systems have been added to the corona unit to cope with the extra pressure recently.

Meanwhile, demand for oxygen has gradually been rising with spiking of patients in the hospital for the last couple of months.

"At present, we’re bound to supply over 8,000 liters of oxygen to the Covid-19 patients every day on an average in the hospital but the daily oxygen demand was only 2,500 liters in around two months back," Yazdani said, adding that the oxygen demand has gone up to around 3,000 liters, particularly in last one month.

The RMCH director opined over 60 percent of the new Covid-19 patients admitted to the Covid-19 unit of RMCH are from villages, reiterating that awareness among the villagers is less compared to the urban people.

Despite symptoms they hesitate to go for tests. “Only they are coming to the hospital when they feel worse. Then we have nothing to do for them, they are dying,” he continued.

He said utmost attention should be given to the villages in addition to the urban area as the fatality rate among the villagers is more and the grave situation is aggravating day-by-day there. 

Apart from the administration and health workers, public representatives, political activists and volunteers should come forward and work together, otherwise, the situation may be further more alarming, he mentioned.