Maharashtra: 58 individuals who were asymptomatic as Covid started died in January

MUMBAI: As many as 58 individuals who succumbed to Covid-19 in the state in January were completely asymptomatic at the start of their illness. These patients, mostly elderly with comorbidities, deteriorated after the fourth or fifth day and eventually passed away.

The state Covid death audit committee made the revelation after reviewing the 1,040 deaths in January. Dr Avinash Supe, who heads the panel, said the findings underline the risk of believing any Covid variant is mild for all. Several of the 58 were in home quarantine, the analysis found.

“Isolation and monitoring of vulnerable people is crucial if 5.5% of the fatalities are among those who suffered no symptoms at the beginning,” Supe said, cautioning that for those already vulnerable, the absence of symptoms shouldn’t make them complacent. The higher risk of complications and death associated with age and comorbidities has remained consistent through the three waves, he added.

In January, 63% deaths were among people with comorbidities. Interestingly, breathlessness as a complication was reported in 44% of the patients who died, probably because many deaths were of incidental Covid, where the person’s primary ailment is something else but he/she tests positive for Covid during screening.

The third wave that started in the end of December has been largely labelled as ‘mild’ or ‘less severe’ by doctors because of relatively fewer hospitalisations and deaths. The mortality numbers at the peak of the third wave, if compared to the other waves, is undoubtedly less. It stands at 0.1% against 2.8% seen at the peak of the Delta-driven second wave and 2.2% in the first wave.

In Mumbai, civic data shows 85-88% of positive patients are initially asymptomatic. But there is no data to show how many develop symptoms later. Physician M K Dave, who consults with Borivli’s Karuna Hospital, recommends testing, particularly of the elderly. “Some of them later present with pneumonia. So it is better to test any elderly person and confirm Covid,” she said.

Members of the state task force have previously told TOI that any fever that doesn’t recede by 48-72 hours demands the next level of attention. A doctor said it is advisable for the elderly to take the six-minute test and monitor their SPO2 levels till the seventh day even if they don’t have major symptoms initially.

Dr Vasant Nagvekar, a member of the task force, said Omicron presented in varying ways in different age groups and it could have played a role. “In people under 40, it started with very high fever of 102-104 that lasted for a day or two. In senior citizens, the fever was not that high. That may have pushed many to take the disease less seriously,” he said.