Impact of lockdown on non-COVID-19 patients

Abstract

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic gripped many nations and lockdowns were declared to limit its spread. During those harrowing lockdown times what happened to non-COVID patients has not been answered yet. Objectives: In the present study, the authors have tried to study the impact of lockdown on the non-COVID patients. Materials and Methods: It was a retrospective study conducted in a tertiary care institute. The impact of lockdown (March 24, 2020–May 31, 2020) on number of patients visiting outpatient department (OPD), admission, and deaths of non-COVID patients due to medical causes in wards of internal medicine and emergency was studied and compared with the corresponding period in 2019 (March 24, 2019–May 31, 2019). Results: OPD numbers plummeted from 14,050 in 2019 to just 3916 during lockdown a reduction of 258.78%. The total admissions appreciated from 887 in 2019 to 959 during lockdown 2020 an increase of 8.11%. The rate of admission substantially surged from 6.31% in 2019 to 24.48% in lockdown. Death rate witnessed a marginal increase from 2.36% in 2019 to 3.64% during lockdown. Mortality from renal causes increased substantially from two cases in 2019 to 10 in lockdown an increase of 400%. Conclusion: The research points out that during lockdown times OPD numbers plummeted significantly and admission rate of non-COVID patients showed an upward trend. A slight insignificant increase of in hospital mortality rate of non-COVID patients was also noted. These observations point out that non-COVID patients received due medical care during lockdown 2020.