Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection: What a doctor on the frontline needs to know

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a zoonotic respiratory infection originating from Wuhan, China. Rapidly spreading from Wuhan to all inhabited continents of the world, the World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2019. Infected patients present with fever and cough; radiological features include bilateral infiltrates on chest x-ray and computed tomography scanning. Management is supportive with oxygen supplementation, broad-spectrum antibiotics as well as careful fluid balancing. A number of drugs, both new and old, are currently in clinical trials and being used on an experimental basis in clinical practice. The COVID-19 pandemic is the greatest worldwide public health crisis of a generation, and has led to seismic political, economic and social changes. This review provides an overview of COVID-19 for junior doctors who find themselves on a new frontline of healthcare.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Junior doctor; Pandemic; Pneumonia.

Fig. 1

Chest radiograph from day of admission of 38 year-old male presenting with 7 day history of cough and fever. Radiograph shows bilateral infiltrates.

Fig. 2

Chest radiograph of 38 year-old male, five days progressed from Fig. 1. Patient requiring increased oxygen supplementation and displaying increased work of breathing. Radiograph shows progression of bilateral infiltrates.

Fig. 3

CT imaging of a 34-year-old female, who required intubation and ventilation for severe type 1 respiratory failure due to COVID-19. Bilateral ground glass opacification is demonstrated.