Govt hospitals in Tamil Nadu that reported less than 500 cases a year, have recorded over 5000 pneumonia cases in the pandemic year 2020. Even as the COVID-19 numbers are constantly declining for the past several weeks in Tamil Nadu including Chennai, which was a hotspot since the pandemic unravelled in the state, the number of pneumonia cases and related deaths has alarmingly increased manifold in all the city government hospitals.

The Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital recorded a total of 311 cases of pneumonia cases in 2019 but between January 1, 2020 to November 30, 2020, at least 4,503 pneumonia cases that were not related to COVID 19 were reported. Stanley Medical College and Hospital saw just about 270 cases last year, but the cases have crossed about 3,000 till this year November. Due to the fact that several patients who contract COVID 19 also died of pneumonia, authorities admit that they don’t have the exact number of non-COVID-10 pneumonia deaths, but doctors at the RGGGH and Omandurar Multi-super Specialty Government General Hospital have acknowledged the rise in pneumonia cases and deaths. 

COVID-19 and pneumonia have similar symptoms, there have been rumours that several cases of COVID-19 are being categorised as pneumonia. “Many deaths due to pneumonia give a CT scan impression similar to COVID-19 but swab test results test negative. Thus, the count of deaths due to pneumonia has remained high, even after COVID-19 linked deaths have declined in the State. We have been receiving such cases for the past few months,” said Dr A Mahilmaran, director of Institute of Thoracic Medicine at RGGGH.  

Corona Update: Patients surpassed 99 lakhs in country, 3 lakh active cases

Corona vaccine will be applied first in Madhya Pradesh

Nitish Cabinet approves free corona vaccine to all people of Bihar