Covid: Health dept against routine antibiotic use

 55 new cases in Darjeeling district, One of Darjeeling and Assam died, 

SNS, SILIGURI, 25 SEPTEMBER 2020 : The state health department has asked all designated hospitals for Covid -19 patients and private hospitals not to prescribe antibiotics routinely during treatment of Covid patients unless bacterial co-infection is suspected.

The 'Advisory on Protocol Management for COVID-19 Patients' has been issued on the basis of observation made by experts from the Protocol Monitoring Team, following their visits to some hospitals for Covid patients recently.

The advisory asks doctors to consider using antibodies on only those patients with 'severe Covid-19 infection who have high oxygen demand and who show signs of rapidly progressing respiratory failure.'

It also advises considering antibiotics, guided by a ssessment of 'biomarkers of bacterial infection, as per access to laboratary facility. It says the microbiological tests (e.g. urine culture, blood culture, sputum culture, as appropriate) should ideally be performed before initiation of any antibiotic treatment.

It, however, underlines that a positive culture report does not necessarily prove the presence of infection. "Unless this is accompanied by clinical signs and biochemical markers," it says.

The advisory also says that only the absence of fever should not be required as criteria for stopping the antibiotics, as patients with Covid 19 often show persistent fever for several days.

However, in general, antibiotic therapy once started should be continued for a minimum of five days or until the patient is afebrile for 48-72 hours," the advisory says.

Two die in Siliguri

A 36-year-old resident of Darjeeling died at Dr Chhang's (Covid) Hospital in Siliguri today, sources said. A 58-year old resident of Dhubri in Assam also died in a private nursing home.

55 new cases in Darjeeling district

Meanwhile, Darjeeling district reported 55 new Covid cases today, including 23 in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, three in Darjeeling Municipality, one in Kurseong Municipality, one in Pulbazaar/ Bijanbari , one in Mirik, two in Sukhia Pokhari, three in Sukuna, two in Kharibari, 15 in Matigara, two in Nxalbari, and two in Phansidewa, sources said. A total of 70 patients have freshly recovered, including those in home isolation, they said. The Jalpaiguri portion of the SMC recorded 27 cases.

37 in Malda

Malda recorded another 37 fresh cases of Covid- 19 in tests conducted yesterday, sources said. The Habibpur BDO aLso tested positive for the virus last night, along with another person from his office.

62 in North Dinajpur

North Dinajpur reported 62 new cases in the past 24 hours. The cases are in areas under Chopra, Islampur, Goalpokhar, Dalkhola, Karandighi, Itahar and Raiganj, sources said. The fresh cases have taken the district tally of Covid cases to 3379. District health officials said that there are 360 active cases in the district presently, and that the recovery rate is more than 80 percent.

63 in Alipurduar

In Alipurduar, 63 fresh cases have been detected in the past 24 hours. However, no death was reported today, district health official sources said.