Four-drug mix for COVID-19 can work wonders, say Kerala docs

Kochi, Apr 11 (): A four-drug mix for COVID-19patients, who are at the initial stage of developingpneumonia, is proving quite effective in saving lives in aKerala hospital and could even become an international modelfor treating the pandemic, doctors have said. COVID-19 patients require intensive observation andprompt tests, but this pioneering treatment, based on afour-drug mix, is earning global recognition followingsuccess stories at the Government Medical College (GMC),according to doctors at GMC, Ernakulam. Citing an example, top physicians at the hospitalrecalled the case of British national Brian Lockwood who wasadmitted to the hospital last month. The 57-year-old tourist was brought to the hospital atKalamassery on March 15 just ahead of boarding a flight toDubai. A 17-day isolation at the hospital helped Lockwoodrecover from COVID-19. In a statement issued by National Health Mission(Arogya Keralam), Dr A Fathahudeen and Dr Jacob K Jacob ofGMC pointed out that Lockwood had no signs of serious ailmentwhen he was admitted to the hospital, having been broughtfrom the international airport at Nedumbassery. He (Lockwood) had only low fever and mild cough. Hecame walking in, recalled Dr Fathahudeen about theBritisher, who had arrived in Kerala on March 10 and visitedthe scenic Munnar hills. The patient underwent an X-ray test. Seeing the report,we sensed all wasnt well. We referred him for a CT scan.That step proved decisive in Lockwood's recovery. In theprocess, he became the first COVID-19 patient in India toundergo a CT scan," the doctor said.

Dr Jacob, who is with GMCs Internal MedicineDepartment, referred to another milestone in Lockwood's pathto recovery at the hospitals ICU. That was on March 17 when he was given a unique mix offour medicines following breathing trouble for which thepatient was first provided respiratory support Within hours, Lockwood was administered a mix of fourdrugs: two varieties of HIV anti-virus, andhydroxychloroquine and azithromycin. This treatment is less likely to have the desiredresult on a patient with advanced stage of coronavirus. Inthe Britisher's case, fever came down by the eighth day.That was the first sign of the patient recovering, said DrFathahudeen. He cited the instance of the 69-year-old Malayalee whodied in GMC of COVID-19 on March 28.

The Kochi resident was already diabetic and had a heartproblem. The man recently returned from the Gulf where hecontracted coronavirus, and had let his new disease aggravateby remaining homebound for a few days before getting admittedto the hospital, observed Dr Fathahudeen. The driver of the cab that had earlier picked the manfrom the Kochi airport, too, went on to contract the virus.He was young, and so we could ensure his recovery. Thepatient can be discharged only if both two tests held 24hours apart show coronavirus-negative, he said. Dr Thomas Mathew, principal of the 1999-founded GMC, isthe coordinator for the treatment of coronavirus patients atthe hospital. TGBNVG NVG