MANILA – The fifth case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Philippines — a 62-year-old man — is in critical condition, according to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
RITM director Dr. Celia Carlos said the patient tested positive for the novel coronavirus on March 5.
“He is in a guarded condition. He has severe pneumonia, diabetes and hypertension,” Carlos said. “He is also suffering from acute kidney injuries.”
“On the other hand, his oxygen requirement is less, and the need for drugs to elevate his blood pressure is also less. So there are good developments as well as bad developments,” she added.
Department of Health (DOH) secretary Francisco Duque III, meanwhile, said a “guarded condition” also meant “critical” and the chances of recovery is “slow.”
“Based on experience, the clinical condition on severe cases as reported in China, it takes a very long time for them to recover, from three to six weeks when critical. If mild, it is about two to three weeks,” Duque said.
The fifth patient regularly visited a Muslim prayer hall in San Juan. He experienced coughing on Feb. 25 and was admitted at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City on March 1 with severe pneumonia.
His 59-year-old wife was also infected with the virus, making her the sixth confirmed case of COVID-19 in the country.
COVID-19 seems to start with a fever, followed by a dry cough.
The incubation period – between infection and showing any symptoms – lasts up to 14 days, according to the World Health Organization. But some researchers say it may be as long as 24 days. And Chinese scientists say some people may be infectious even before their symptoms appear.
After a week, it leads to shortness of breath and some patients require hospital treatment./PN
