A Patient with COVID-19 Disease in a Referral Hospital in Iran: A Typical Case

Abstract

After the initial outbreak of the new Coronavirus in Wuhan at the end of December 2019, many new cases were reported in other provinces of China and also many other countries over the world, including South Korea, Italy, Iran, Japan, and 68 other countries. We present a case report of a 61-year-old woman with a history of diabetes mellitus who was referred to the emergency department of a referral hospital in Tehran, Iran. The patient presented with fever, chills, and myalgia within three days. Laboratory analysis showed increased levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and mild leukopenia. SARS-CoV-2 PCR test -under the Iran Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoH&ME) guidelines- was conducted and the result was positive. The chest X-ray showed bilateral ground-glass opacity. O2 saturation was 87% (without O2 therapy). The patient was hospitalized and treated with Oseltamivir 75 mg every 12 hours, Lopinavir/Ritonavir (Kaletra) 400/100 mg every 12 hours and hydroxychloroquine 400 mg stat. The patient's last O2 saturation measured was 93% and she had no fever on the 10th day of hospitalization. Therefore, she was discharged from hospital and quarantined at home according to the Iran Ministry of Health protocol.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; SARS-CoV-2 PCR test; diabetes mellitus; ground glass Opacity; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.