Telangana: ICMR, AIIMS explain three stages of Omicron & treatment

Hyderabad: Covid cases across Telangana are rapidly spreading. The State is reporting about 3,000-4,000 new cases a day; almost 70 per cent cases are of Omicron variant, according to the Public Health department. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has divided the Omicron infection into three stages--mild symptoms, moderate infection, and severe infection. At these three stages the treatment differs.

Telangana more than 23,000 persons are being treated for the infection. From January 1 to 20, admissions in public and private hospitals have increased by three per cent, although the infection starts with mild symptoms in the early stage. In some people symptoms get to the severe stage in 5-6 days and increase the chances of getting admitted to hospital.

Experts from the ICMR and the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, have suggested treatment for three stages and explain how to determine the severity of the symptoms, when to visit hospital, and what measures to be taken.

Mild stage of infection: symptoms

cold, cough, fever and sore throat; treatment: stay home and seek online consultation. In case of constant mild cough and fever for more than five days, use medication, as advised by a general physician.

Precautions

Physical distancing must be ensured to avoid infection to others; wearing a face mask at home and staying in a separate room; drinking enough water; body temperature and oxygen levels be checked three times a day; keenly observe difficulties to breathe

Moderate infection

Mostly people over 60 years of age are in this stage, who are already suffering from various ailments like diabetes, obesity, tuberculosis, kidney and liver; symptoms: breathing problem for more than 24 times a minute, fatigue and oxygen levels below 90-93 per cent;oxygen percentage is less than 93; if severe and cough are severe; if symptoms do not reduce after five days; if symptoms increase for more than three days for patients with comorbidities.

Treatment

people with these symptoms should be treated in a hospital; make sure oxygen level is at least 92-96; artificial oxygen should be provided; steroid treatment should start at hospital; prolonged, overuse of steroid therapy may increase the risk of developing mucosal mycosis; breathing problem should be examined; if health condition is gradually deteriorating one should go for chest X-ray and CT scan; sugar, CBC, kidney and liver functioning tests should be done every 2-3days

Severe infection

symptoms: shortness of breathing more than 30 times a minute, severe fatigue, loss of oxygen levels from 90 per cent; treatment: should be done in ICU; oxygen should be given through equipment; steroid medication and anti-inflammatory treatment should be prescribed by a physician; diagnostic tests should be done every 2-3 days; if cough persists for more than 2-3 weeks it is important to get tested for tuberculosis and other diseases; Remdesivir injection should be given within 10 days of the patient's health condition. It should be given only to those who have moderate-severe stages.