COVID-19 infection: Unusual symptoms delay treatment, warn doctors

GUWAHATI: Elderly persons with COVID-19 infection have several "atypical" or unusual symptoms which often complicate efforts of doctors to give them timely and appropriate treatment.

"Even though COVID-19 positive cases are typically signaled by a fever, an insistent cough and shortness of breath, the elderly persons may have none of these characteristics. Instead they may sleep more than usual or stop eating. They may seem unusually apathetic or confused, losing orientation to their surroundings, become dizzy and fall. Sometimes, they stop speaking or simply collapse," a doctor at Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) said.

The doctor said that one of the prime reasons for such unusual symptoms is the age factor. The older bodies respond to illness and infection in different ways, he said.

"At advanced ages, the immune response may be blunted and their ability to regulate temperature may be altered. Underlying chronic illnesses can hide or interfere with signs of COVID-19 infection. There are elderly persons who may have altered cough reflexes due to age-related changes or previous neurological issues such as a stroke. Others with cognitive impairment may not be able to communicate their symptoms," said another doctor at the Medicine department of a leading private hospital.

A doctor at the GMCH said that he recently came across a few elderly COVID -positive persons at the hospital who did not develop any typical symptoms of virus infection. "These patients simply lost their appetite and concentration during their stay at homes. It is good that the family members became suspicious and got them tested. If the early signs of COVID-positive are missed, elderly persons' health will deteriorate before they get the needed care. So, the family members have to be very much alert and closely observe the physical and mental changes of elderly persons," the doctor pointed out.

The State Health department has been repeatedly alerting the people that those who have elderly persons at their homes would have to extra careful and cautious. "Don't panic. Just keep a close watch on them (elderly persons). There are many cases where elderly persons have defeated the virus attack. Examples are Jibini Devi Baid (93) and Anima Boro (80)," said another doctor.

Also Watch: #NewsMakers: Doctors Speak on Rising COVID cases in Assam and Unlock 4.0