The requirement of oxygen has been found to be higher in the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, however, there's no difference in mortality rate, said DG ICMR.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Balram Bhargava on Monday explained the differences and similarities in the severity of the Covid-19 infection between the second wave and the first that was seen last year.
Bhargava said a "higher" proportion of patients admitted to hospitals this year, in the second wave, experienced shortness of breath. There was, however, no change in the mortality rate, he said.
The demographic and clinical data from over 9,485 patients showed that a "marginally higher" proportion of patients (5.8 per cent) were present compared to the first (4.2 per cent).
In the age group of 20-40 years, 25.5 per cent of hospital admissions were seen in the first wave as compared to the second wave, which saw 23.7 per cent hospitalisations.
"And in 20-40 years, the difference was 25 per cent [first wave] versus 23 per cent [second wave]," he said. The ICMR collated data from hospitalised patients under the National Clinical Registry for Covid-19.
The data set found that there are more than 70 per cent patients who are more than 40 years of age.
"More than 70 per cent were above or equal to 40 years of age. A higher number of asymptomatic individuals got admitted this year, than a higher proportion of patients admitted with breathlessness," he said.
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