Sourav Ganguly hospitalized; tests COVID positive
Sourav Ganguly, BCCI President and former captain of the Indian cricket team, was admitted to a hospital on late Monday night after he tested positive for COVID-19.
The hospitalization of the 49-year-old Sourav Ganguly, fondly called “Dada” by his fans, is a precautionary measure taken by the doctors after his RT-PCR test report came positive.
Sourav Ganguly has been given medication and his condition stable now, according to his elder brother Snehasish Ganguly.
“He was taken to Woodlands Nursing Home last night.Sourav has got Covid but he is feeling fine,” the elder brother said.
His elder brother Snehasish Ganguly had also tested positive for COVID early this year.
Treatment
Sourav Ganguly received Monoclonal Antibody Cocktail Therapy used for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Covid-19 in high-risk patients.
Later in the day, The Woodlands Hospital, where Ganguly is admitted, released a press statement that read: “He (Ganguly) received Monoclonal Antibody Cocktail therapy on the same night and is currently hemodynamically stable. A medical board comprising Dr Saroj Mondal, Dr Saptarshi Basu and Soutik Panda in Consultation with Dr Devi Shetty and Dr Aftab Khan is keeping a close watch on his health status.”
Monoclonal Antibody Cocktail
The antibody cocktail is a combination of two monoclonal antibodies: Casirivimab and Imdevimab. Both Imdevimab and Casirivimab are human immunoglobulin G-1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibodies that act against the virus.
The antibody cocktail thwarts the attachment of the virus and its entry into the human cell. Stated for emergency use authorization (EUA), the cocktail antibody is said to have the potential to treat mild-to-moderate Covid-19 infection in adults and patients above 12 years of age who are at a higher risk of developing severe disease and do not need oxygen.
Monoclonal antibodies are proteins that mimic the ability of our immune system to fight off harmful pathogens like viruses.
Monoclonal Antibody Cocktail is the same cocktail of medicines given to the former US President Donald Trump when he was found COVID positive.
Apart from the antibody cocktail, Trump was given the antiviral drug remdesivir, and the steroid dexamethasone. He reported in a little more than a week that he had recovered and was not a risk for spreading the infection.
Prior hospitalizations
Earlier this year, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly was admitted to hospital twice and underwent emergency angioplasty after having some cardiac issues.
Earlier in January, he was taken to the hospital after he complained of chest discomfort. The doctors later stated that he has suffered a heart attack while exercising at his Kolkata home and underwent a right coronary angioplasty.
Mr. Ganguly was again admitted to Apollo Hospitals in the city of Kolkata on January 27 after discomfort and chest pain. The angioplasty was performed on January 28 by a team of doctors which included well-known cardiac surgeon Devi Shetty. Two stents were placed in two arteries during the process.
COVID Infection Chain
The chain of infection which got to Sourav Ganguly is not yet known as Ganguly has been travelling extensively, taking part in all professional activities.
It is vital to note that Sourav Ganguly is doubly vaccinated which makes him a breakthrough case of COVID-19.
Breakthrough case
A breakthrough case is when an individual who has received all necessary vaccination doses gets infected with the disease against which the individual was vaccinated already.
The percentage of breakthrough infections in India in the total case share has been increasing in the past months, revealed government data.
However, this does mean that vaccines are failing, for the number of people dying of COVID-19 and needing hospitalization is very low for vaccinated individuals.