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Kolkata Hospitals Struggle with Post-COVID Respiratory Infections
1 Aug
Summary
- Thousands in Kolkata vulnerable to recurrent infections due to long-term COVID effects
- Rapid weather changes and air pollution further weakening body's defenses
- 75% of influenza and pneumonia patients at Woodlands Hospital are COVID survivors
As of August 2025, Kolkata's healthcare system is still feeling the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which ended three years ago. Doctors say that a significant number of Kolkata residents who experienced moderate to severe COVID-19 illness are now more susceptible to recurrent respiratory infections, such as influenza and pneumonia.
The primary reason for this is the long-term weakening of respiratory and immune functions caused by the virus. Additionally, rapid weather fluctuations, sudden shifts from high humidity to rain, followed by intense heat, combined with elevated levels of air pollution, are further compromising the body's natural defenses.
Private hospitals in Kolkata are currently operating at around 90% occupancy, with a majority of patients suffering from Influenza A and other viral infections. At Woodlands Hospital, approximately 75% of those being treated for influenza and pneumonia are COVID-19 survivors, particularly those who experienced moderate to severe illness. These patients have suffered lasting damage to their lungs, making them more vulnerable to severe disease progression when they contract other respiratory illnesses.
Doctors at other hospitals, such as BP Poddar and Charnock, are also reporting a significant number of patients with a history of severe COVID-19 who are now struggling with more aggressive and prolonged respiratory infections. The elderly and those with underlying conditions like asthma, COPD, and diabetes are especially at risk.
The situation in Kolkata highlights the long-term health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, which continue to pose challenges for the city's healthcare system even years after the initial outbreak.
