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One thing that has been ascertained is that those who are infected with the Novel Coronavirus develop pneumonia as a complication.
The infection of lungs caused by virus, bacteria or fungi is termed as pneumonia. The lungs are filled with air sacs which are known as alveoli and as a result of the infection, these alveoli or air sacs get inflamed. This further leads to filling of fluid or pus in the lungs which causes breathing problems.
The Novel Coronavirus causes a respiratory infection and thus it affects the patient's lungs. Therefore, COVID-19 patients get pneumonia. Some of the symptoms of pneumonia are high fever, tiredness, phlegm production, congestion in the chest, breathing problems and cough.
Among people who have a strong immunity, pneumonia might cause mild symptoms. In such cases, the individual can go about his or her daily routine up to an extent. However, one might feel weak from time to time. This is also referred to as walking pneumonia or atypical pneumonia as the person can move around.
Doctors say that the pneumonia which develops in COVID-19 patients is different than the usual cases. The pneumonia caused by bacterial infection is treatable with antibiotics and affects certain parts of the lungs. However, in cases of pneumonia caused by the coronavirus, the entire lung is affected and the infection is severe. It has been observed that the age and the immune system of the individual are the most important factors in the impact of treatment of pneumonia caused in COVID-19.
Till now, there is no vaccine or drug to prevent pneumonia in patients with severe infection of the Novel Coronavirus. The only way to treat pneumonia in COVID-19 patients is by providing supportive care given in intensive care units. When a patient develops severe complications, they are ventilated. This is done to make sure that their lungs function normally and the recovery is faster. However, with pneumonia, the patient becomes vulnerable to secondary viral infections and even with the combination of various antibiotics and antiviral medications, they might not survive.
Experts say that people who are infected with the Novel Coronavirus can be broadly categorized into four groups:
Category 1: This is the most advanced case of infected patients. As a result of severe symptoms, they develop pneumonia. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), elderly people who have heart problems, lung conditions and diabetes tend to develop a more severe form of the infection.
Category 2: This group of people constitutes the largest of the infected people. These people develop the infection with slightly advanced symptoms and need medical attention on an urgent basis.
Category 3: The upper respiratory tract in these individuals get infected. The person will have symptoms such as cough, fever, headache and in some cases conjunctivitis. While they have these mild symptoms, they start infecting other people around them but fail to realize this because often the symptoms are mistaken as the common cold.
Category 4: These are sub-clinical types who are infected with the virus but do not show any symptoms.