Delhi govt provided over 60,000 oximeters to COVID-19 patients in city: Official data

Delhi government has so far provided 60,042 oximeters to home quarantined COVID-19 patients in city to help m check ir oxygen levels, according to official figures.

Arvind Kejriwal government had in June anunced to provide oximeters to COVID-19 patients in home isolation with symptoms or mild symptoms of disease and facing breathing problems due to low oxygen levels.

"It was started with a view to be able to provide treatment and shift any such patients to hospital for medical care. Thousands of oximeters distributed by government have saved many lives of patients in home isolation," a senior government official said.

According to latest government figures, a total of 60,042 oximeters have been distributed among COVID-19 patients spread across 11 districts. Most of oximeters were provided to patients in West (7,504), Central (7,050), South West(6,953), rth West (6,656) and East (5,925) districts.

Oximeters are devices used to measure oxygen level in blood. With a drop in blood oxygen level, patients feel problem in breathing and need to be admitted to hospitals if ir oxygen saturation drops to 90 per cent or below (rmal is 95-100 per cent).

"As per need, each day around 40 to over 100 COVID-19 patients are provided with oximeters in each district. Since home isolation patients are in touch with district medical officers, se devices help provide interventions like oxygen concentrators or hospital shifting of patients, if needed," official said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier termed pulse oximeters as ''suraksha kavach'' (protective shield) for COVID-19 patients and credited device with minimising deaths of patients under home isolation in Delhi.

government has also started providing oximeters to COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals and recuperating at home, as problems like breathlessness persist in some despite being having tested negative for infection, official said.

According to official records, 41 vel coronavirus patients died at home isolation in Delhi since first week of May. In home isolation strategy, oximeters have emerged as a game changer in saving precious lives, official added.

number of COVID-19 patients under home isolation in Delhi stands at 17,600.

Since May, a total of 1.34 lakh COVID-19 patients have been prescribed home isolation out of which 1.13 lakh recovered while about 2,700 were shifted to hospital for furr treatment, data showed.