Srinagar, March 31 (KMS): In occupied Kashmir, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) has said doctors, nurses and paramedical staff are at greater risk of developing severe disease if they get infected with the novel coronavirus.
DAK President Dr Nisarul Hassan in a statement issued in Srinagar said, “The novel virus seems to hit healthcare workers harder than others who contract the disease.”
Dr Nisar said at least 41 healthcare workers have died in Italy and more than 5,000 medical personnel including doctors, nurses, technicians, ambulance staff and other health employees have been infected by the virus since the outbreak began there.
“At the epicenter of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Chinese officials have reported that nearly 3,400 healthcare workers have been infected with 22 deaths.”
“We don’t know what is making them sicker than other patients. May be it is due to the higher dose of the virus they are receiving,” he added.
Dr Nisar said healthcare workers, especially the frontline are at the highest risk of exposure to the virus.
“Medical staff in high risk areas like ICU have more exposure to infection as the severely ill are more infective, and also they do the higher frequency of medical intervention and aerosol-generating procedures like intubation and respiratory/ airway suctioning,” he said.
“Medical staff must remain safe because if healthcare workers collapse, the health system will shut down, and people will die,” he said adding that “extensive protective gear is the best way to safeguard clinical staff who treat COVID-19 patients.”