As the deadly coronavirus threatens much of the world, with the confirmed reported cases rising daily, and more countries confirming the presence of the COVID-19 cases, a man on the frontline of the virus has shared what it’s actually like treating patients with coronavirus.
Speaking to BBCNews, Dr Xie Jiang of Anzhen Hospital in China’s city of Wuhan, where the virus started from, and the country with the highest confirmed cases of infection, says “patients were pouring into the hospital like a tide.”
Dr Xie Jiang says he sees thousands of patients a day. Even China still struggles to cope with the rate of the infection, telling the BBC “we do not have enough beds available for everyone.”
Dr Xie fears for much of the rest of the world, saying that he does not think any city in the world would have enough specialist equipment to cope.
Speaking on the rate of deaths he’s witnessed, Dr Xie says “we do have more and more cutting edge apparatus like Ecmo [life support] ventilators, invasive ventilators right now. But for me, I’m not satisfied with mortality. I still think the mortality is too high.”
“I still think the mortality is really too high. For patients with severe symptoms, the mortality is even higher then Sars. That’s the thing we should address right now.”
When asked how he’s coping with the emotional side effects, Dr Xie revealed that the epidemic has a serious emotional impact on him. He revealed that in one night, he lost five lives to the coronavirus.
“It’s really miserable when you hear your young fellows were killed by the disease,” Dr Xie said.
He also revealed how the coronavirus whistle-blower Li Wenlian warned about the emergence of the virus before it became viral. “You know the whistle-blower Li Wenlian. He warned the public that something like Sars was coming. And he was interrogated by police and it turned out to be the truth.”
Speaking further, he thinks China can learn from Li Wenlian’s death and how he blew the whistle on the coronavirus outbreak. He recommended that the government should always take quick action, just like they locked down Wuhan in a timely manner.
“if we did it earlier, maybe the result can be better. I lost five patients in one night,” Dr Xie said. “Can you imagine that? In one night I lost five lives.”
“I should warn the rest of the world that you guys should take care,” Dr Xie Jiang warned.
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