Most patients who died of Covid-19 had diabetes, hypertension

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 17

Nearly 80 per cent of those, who died in the district due to Covid-19, had either hypertension or diabetes or both. These two are most common co-morbid illnesses in Covid patients.

Every day out of the total deaths reported, 80 per cent are either diabetic, hypertensive or both while the remaining 20 per cent are suffering from diseases like cancer, tuberculosis, obesity, kidney, heart diseases or are asthmatic.

Precautions for patients

• Monitor your blood sugar and BP levels regularly.
• Eat healthy.
• Exercise regularly.
• Drink lots of water.
• Include food enriched with Vitamin C in diet.

From August 1 to 17, 166 people lost their lives to the virus and out of these 119 had diabetes, hypertension or both. Both these conditions form an ideal background for pathogens like the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

Those suffering from diabetes were most likely to be placed on ventilator or admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU).

“The immunity of those suffering from diabetes or hypertension is already compromised. They need to be extra careful during this pandemic,”said the Civil Surgeon, Dr Rajesh Bagga.

Covid attacks those severely, who have co-morbid conditions. Those suffering from diabetes should keep their blood sugar levels within control and do regular exercise. It is difficult to treat viral infection as blood sugar levels fluctuate and the recovery period is also longer. —Dr Sumit Arora, An expert

“People with co-morbidities should be extra careful. They should regularly monitor their blood sugar and blood pressure levels and workout every day to maintain physical and mental health,” Dr Bagga added.

“Age is no determining factor in the death trend. People as old as 80 years and as young as 24 years are losing their lives to the virus. What is important here is immunity of the person concerned. People should work towards building their immunity strong and for this eat healthy, exercise regularly and in addition to this wear mask whenever going out and maintain social distance,” Dr Bagga said.

Dr Sumit Arora, an expert, said, “Covid attacks those severely, who have co-morbid conditions. Those suffering from diabetes should keep their blood sugar levels within control and do regular exercise. It is difficult to treat viral infection as blood sugar levels fluctuate and the recovery period is also longer.”

Yesterday, 15 people lost their lives to coronavirus out of which 10 had co-morbidity of either sugar or high blood pressure or both.