Uttarakhand CM admitted to AIIMS with COVID pneumonia: Signs patients isolating at home should watch out for

The Chief Minister had been in home isolation after he tested positive for COVID-19 on December 18. Read on to know more about COVID pneumonia.

By: Longjam Dineshwori | | Updated: December 28, 2020 4:41 pm

Pneumonia is a potential complication of COVID-19 infection. It may develop when the infection progresses to your lungs.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has been reportedly admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi following a chest infection due to COVID-19. Rawat developed pneumonia while he was in home isolation in Dehradun after he tested positive for COVID-19 on December 18. He was admitted to Delhi after his condition worsened, news agency IANS reported quoting sources. Also Read - 'Game changer against Covid-19': Expert panel recommends phase 1 trial of Bharat Biotech's nasal vaccine

A team of doctors led by the AIIMS director is checking on Rawat’s health at the hospital’s trauma centre. Also Read - COVID-19 Live Updates: Cases in India surge to 10,595,660 while death toll reaches 1,52,718

Earlier on Sunday, Rawat complained of fever and was admitted to a hospital in Dehradun. The doctors there revealed that Rawat has developed an infection in the chest. Later, on Monday, the CM was flown to Delhi after consulting doctors at the AIIMS. Also Read - Obesity, alcohol consumption can lower effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines

Pneumonia is a potential complication of COVID-19 infection. It is caused due to inflammation in the air sacs, known as alveoli, present inside the lungs. This can lead to fluid buildup inside the cavity and results in conditions like fever, shortness of breath, fatigue, coughing, chest pain, etc.

COVID-19 and pneumonia

When respiratory droplets containing the SARS-CoV-2 enter your upper respiratory tract and the virus multiplies, the infection can progress to your lungs. The infection can damage the alveoli and surrounding tissues, leading to inflammation and buildup of fluid and dead cells in your lungs.

In some cases, COVID pneumonia can progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a progressive type of respiratory failure that occurs when the air sacs in the lungs fill up with fluid. People with ARDS may need mechanical ventilation to breathe.

Doctors suggest that patients who are isolating at home should watch out for the following signs:

Dip in oxygen saturation, or hypoxia
Breathing difficulties and frequent chest pain.
A constantly plateauing fever (above 99 degrees Fahrenheit)
Loss of appetite

Researchers have suggested that computed tomography (CT) can be used as an important complement for the diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia.

Severe COVID-19 and associated complications like pneumonia can affect any person. However, some people are more vulnerable to the conditions than others. These include those who have a history of cancer, blood pressure, diabetes, kidney or liver disease, asthma or breathing problems, and adults over the age of 55.

Published : December 28, 2020 4:07 pm | Updated:December 28, 2020 4:41 pm

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