Don’t wait, seek treatment if you have Covid-19 symptoms – DG

 

COVID-19 | Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has urged those with Covid-19 symptoms to seek treatment early.

This is because late diagnosis is one of the common factors among Covid-19 patients who are admitted to an intensive care unit or die, even among those who are young and otherwise healthy.

“Many cases are young but come (to seek treatment) at a late stage, which is at least Stage Three or Four […]

“We recommend those with symptoms to please come to a hospital or clinic at an early stage. Don’t wait until you have breathing difficulties before coming to the hospital,” he said at his daily briefing on the Covid-19 situation today.

He explained that Stage One patients have no symptoms at all, while Stage Two patients have mild symptoms.

At Stage Three, patients begin to experience shortness of breath, and supplemental oxygen is required at Stage Four. At Stage Five, the patient would need to be intubated and rely on a ventilator to breathe.

He said this in response to queries from the media regarding comments reportedly made by Duchess of Kent Hospital director Dr Francis Paul yesterday.

Bernama quoted Paul saying that some of the 27 ICU patients being treated at the hospital in Sandakan are 50 years old and below, with no history of chronic diseases.

“Although many Covid-19 patients requiring ventilators are aged 60 years and above with a history of diabetes, heart and lung diseases, there are patients who are younger and were healthy before being infected (with Covid-19) and are being treated at the ICU.

“This goes to show that this virus should not be taken lightly as it could infect anyone,” he reportedly said.

Meanwhile, Noor Hisham listed other common characteristics of severe and death cases of Covid-19.

He said such patients often have other underlying diseases – whether infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, or non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney damage.

Low immunity may also be a factor, but this has yet to be borne out by evidence, he said, in response to the question. - Mkini