Omicron variant "zero severe cases" "flu-like"? Experts respond

Domestic and foreign epidemic data show that the Omicron variant spreads quickly and is highly hidden, with a relatively low proportion of severe patients. But is it "zero severe" or "flu-like" as some people say? How harmful is the Omicron variant? Experts from the National Medical Treatment Team in Jilin recently accepted an interview with Xinhua News Agency reporters and made an interpretation and response based on the treatment of infected people in Jilin City and Changchun City.

1

There are still patients on ventilators

Since the current round of epidemic broke out in Jilin City on March 2, nearly 25,000 people have been reported infected with COVID-19, most of whom are asymptomatic and mild patients, accounting for 97.5%.

▲On March 26, at a nucleic acid testing sampling point in Dadong Street, Chuanying District, Jilin City, staff members took nucleic acid test samples for residents. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Nan

Kang Yan, an expert of the national medical treatment team to Jilin and director of the West China Tianfu Hospital of Sichuan University, told reporters that according to the principle of centralized treatment based on graded classification, asymptomatic infections and mild patients are centrally isolated and managed, while ordinary, severe, critical cases and cases with severe high-risk factors are concentrated in designated medical institutions such as Jilin Central Hospital.

According to reports, as of April 3, Jilin Central Hospital had admitted 50 patients in severe condition and 35 in critical condition. Currently, 10 patients still need endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation, that is, they need invasive ventilators to support their breathing.
"Experts from the national expert group are stationed on site to guide designated medical institutions to carry out standardized diagnosis and treatment. All severe and critical cases are admitted to the intensive care unit for treatment. Critically ill patients are treated in accordance with the principle of multidisciplinary collaboration and 'one person, one policy' to maximize the cure rate and reduce the mortality rate." Kang Yan said.

2

Patients with underlying diseases are at greater risk

"The damage caused by the new coronavirus pneumonia and the damage caused by the patient's underlying disease are the important reasons for the worsening of the patient's condition." Kang Yan analyzed the treatment situation in Jilin City and said that the Omicron variant poses a serious threat to special groups such as elderly patients and patients with serious underlying diseases. The threat is especially greater for people with poor basic conditions and low immunity, such as those who are bedridden for a long time and those undergoing hemodialysis.

▲On March 31, staff members checked the "vegetable packages" at the Kuangjian Community in Hadawan Street, Changyi District, Jilin City. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Nan

Sang Ling, an expert of the national medical treatment team to Jilin and chief physician of the Department of Critical Care Medicine of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, introduced that the proportion of patients infected with uremia in this round of epidemic in Jilin City is relatively high. Judging from the current diagnosis and treatment situation, the pneumonia symptoms of such patients are severe and it takes a long time to turn negative. When combined with the patients' underlying diseases, it is easy to develop into severe and critical conditions.

Yu Kaijiang, head of the national medical treatment expert group in Changchun and dean of the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, introduced that since the outbreak of this round of epidemic in Changchun City until 18:00 on April 3, there were 16,312 people infected with the new coronavirus pneumonia, including 411 common patients, 42 severe patients and 2 critical patients.

"Some patients with underlying diseases were in mild or common condition when they first came, but later they underwent a transformation and their condition worsened," said Yu Kaijiang.

3

The proportion of critically ill patients who have completed the full course of vaccination is relatively low

At the Affiliated Hospital of Jilin Medical College, a total of 124 positive uremia dialysis patients were admitted during this round of epidemic.

▲On March 30, residents were taking nucleic acid test samples at a nucleic acid test sampling point in Nanguan District, Changchun City. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Jian

Sang Ling told reporters that the vaccination rate of these patients was only 11%. As most patients were not vaccinated and had low immunity, the proportion of severe and critical patients was 15.3%, significantly higher than that of the general population.

Kang Yan introduced that the severe and critical patients admitted to Jilin Central Hospital were characterized by advanced age, low vaccination rate, and severe underlying diseases. The proportion of people who completed two doses of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine was about 15%, which was significantly lower than that of the general population.

"Judging from the epidemic situation in Jilin City, it is very necessary to protect the health rights and interests of the people and adhere to the general policy of 'dynamic zeroing' without wavering." Kang Yan said that at the same time, vaccination should continue to be strengthened, and critical care resources should be moved forward to achieve early detection and early intervention of critically ill patients.

(Source: Xinhuanet WeChat Official Account)

Produced by: Science Central Kitchen

Produced by: Beijing Science and Technology News | Beijing Science and Technology Media

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