Unusual symptoms delay Covid-19 diagnosis: DAK

Srinagar : Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Tuesday said patients with Covid-19 infection come to Kashmir hospitals with unusual symptoms.
“Atypical symptoms delay testing, diagnosis and isolation of Covid-19 patients,” said DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.
“Patients with Covid-19 infection typically present with respiratory symptoms. However, patients come to hospitals with non-respiratory symptoms,” he said.
“Covid-19 patients present with strokes, nerve issues or altered mental status with no respiratory symptoms or radiological features of lung involvement.”
DAK President said while elderly people have the highest rates for hospitalization and death, they don’t develop typical symptoms. They come with confusion which turns out to be the only sign of having Covid-19 infection in them.
“We see patients coming with heart attacks, heart failure and rhythm disturbances as the only presenting feature of Covid-19 infection,” he said.
“Patients drop in with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea as their sole complaint.”
Dr Nisar said eye manifestations or skin rashes are seen in some Covid-19 patients as the only presenting feature.
“Patients getting admitted with acute renal failure or liver failure with no reason turn out to be positive for Covid,” he said.
“A well controlled diabetic coming with elevated sugars and a stable lung disease patient dropping oxygen level without any reason and we find Covid as the culprit in them,” he added.
“When patients lack classic signs, health professionals don’t think of the diagnosis and patients go undiagnosed and untreated,” Dr Nisar said.
“It is important that public and healthcare professionals are aware of the possibility of Covid-19 presenting with non-specific symptoms, so that cases of Covid-19 with atypical presentations are not missed when they present to healthcare settings,” he said.
“Prompt recognition of Covid and prompt treatment is the key to reduce the chances of serious illness and death.
Recognizing these unusual presentations of Covid-19 is crucial to reduce the risk of transmission of infection in hospital settings,” said Dr Nisar.