As a physician I
always wondered who would diagnose the first ever patient in USA with this
Covid-19.
New England Journal of
Medicine (NEJM) published the first case details on March 3rd, 2020.
It reads,” an outbreak
of novel Corona virus (2019-nCOV) that began in Wuhan, China has spread rapidly
with cases confirmed in multiple countries. The case highlights the importance
of close coordination between clinician and public health authorities at local,
state, federal levels as well as need for rapid dissemination of clinical
information related to the case of patients with this emerging infection.
Just to get timelines
straight, China reported on 12/31/19 a cluster of Pneumonia cases in relation
to
Seafood wholesale
market, Wuhan, Hubei Province.
On January 7th,
2020 Chinese health authorities confirmed this cluster was associated with
novel corona virus (2019-nCOV).
On January 19th, 2020,
a 35 year old man presented to an urgent care clinic in Snowhomish county, Washington
with 4 day history of cough and fever. He did disclose that he had returned
from Wuhan after a family visit on January 15th, 2020.
The patient had seen a
health alert from CDC about novel corona virus outbreak in China and as he was
running fever and cough decided to get checked. He was checked for flu and
culture of all respiratory viruses and they were normal.
Washington Dept of
health notified CDC emergency operations center and specimens of nasopharyngeal
and oral and blood collected and on Jan 20,2020 CDC confirmed the case as of
novel corona virus.
He was admitted to
Providence regional medical center in isolation for further observation and
care.
He had mild symptoms
initially but progressed.
He progressed with
vomiting and diarrhea and stool cultures positive for corona.
On Day 9th of his
illness he developed pneumonia and dropped oxygen concentrations to 90%.
He was initially
treated with IV antibiotics as a hospital acquired pneumonia but quickly
discontinued and started on Remdesivir. He improved with care and was
discharged.
He was in Wuhan but
did not visit the Wuhan seafood market.
Right now, everyone
everywhere in the world has been in protection mode to some extent.
We have started social
distancing, frequent hand washing, wearing a masks, healthy diet, exercise, and
good sleeping habits. Human health depends on healthy ecosystem.
- a tiny video of the precautions to take during
Covid-19.
Dharmo Rakshati
Rakshita
A line from Manusmriti
says “Dharma protects its protector.”
On similar grounds, the
Ministry of environment and Forestry of India, put out their motto as
Prakriti Rakshati
Rakshita meaning “Nature protects its protector.”
Science is not
political. It pursues truth. A wide majority of new infectious diseases in
people come from animals, from wildlife and livestock.
The notion to choose
between climate and economy is weird.
There is something
called planetary consciousness, meaning taking a holistic view of public
health, that includes health of natural environment.
Man clears forests, removes
habitats, brings wild animals close to human settlements.
Hunting and selling
wildlife are a common sport. This does increase risk of transmission from
animals to human.
Have we not heard of
HIV, Ebola, Zika, SARS, MERS, and bird flu?
To end my blog,
I am reminded of William Wordsworth’s poem,
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.
The words in part are,
I wandered lonely as a
cloud
That floats on high
o’er vale’s and hills,
When all at once I saw
a crowd,
A host, of golden
daffodils.
Besides the lake, beneath
the trees,
Fluttering and dancing
in the breeze.
For oft, when on my
couch I lie
In vacant or in
pensive mood,
They flash upon that
inward eye
Which is the bliss of
solitude
And then my heart with
pleasure fills,
And dances with the
daffodils.
Believe in God.
With Him nothing is
impossible.
Happiness is like the
lost remote control that you are looking everywhere to find out you were just
sitting on it.
-
By Nalini Dave,
MD
