‘Not a single patient required ICU…’: Delhi doctor says oxygen levels among Omicron patients stable

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December 31, 2021

KEY STORY

With the World Health Organization (WHO) and governments across the world warning and preparing for increased hospitalisations due to the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) of Covid-19, a doctor at Delhi’s Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP) said that most of those infected did not intensive medical support and their oxygen levels remained stable.
The remarks seem to be a sliver of hope as a few other Prilimanry from countries like the United Kingdom and South Africa too have observed that the illness due to Omicron was moderate or ‘mild’. However, all have also cautioned about the lack of extensive data and the need for more study into the variant.
“Till now, we’ve received 360 patients out of which 110 were Omicron affected. 89 of these patients have been discharged. All are stable. Not a single patient required ICU support because their oxygen saturation level was perfectly normal,” news agency ANI quoted Dr Suresh Kumar, medical director of LNJP.
Notably, this was not the first time the doctor has made the observation. On December 22, when Delhi had reported over 30 Omicron cases, he said that patients who were fully vaccinated (with two doses) did not have any major complications and did not require admission in the intensive care unit (ICU), according to a report by ANI.
Meanwhile, on Friday, the Union ministry of health and family welfare said that 320 Omicron cases have been reported from the national capital of which 57 have been discharged or recovered. Also, the total caseload due to the new variant stood at 1,270 in the country. Maharashtra added the maximum to the national tally with 450 cases.
In its latest press conference regarding the pandemic, the WHO reiterated its warning on hospitalisations due to the variant. “Right now, Delta and Omicron are twin threats that are driving up cases to record numbers, which again is leading to spikes in hospitalisations and deaths,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the UN health body. “I am highly concerned that Omicron being more transmissible, circulating at the same time as Delta – is leading to a tsunami of cases,” he further said.
Several countries, including the United States, the UK and several European nations, have reported surges in their daily Covid-19 infections. Lastly, France, where the infections have spiked, said on Friday that the Omicron has become the predominant variant in the country, the AFP reported.