“We thought it was the flu, but he had a sore chest and a fever”: New COVID-19 and respiratory disease patient arrives at health center in Guayaquil | Ecuador | News

On the morning of Wednesday, August 30, Guasmosur resident Carmen Lara accompanied her nephew to the medical center at Francisco Segura Street and Quito Avenue. The young man felt severe pain in his chest and developed a fever. He was terrified because he had been showing flu symptoms for four days.

The case was among patients with new respiratory problems who arrived at the Guayaquil Medical Center on Wednesday, some of whom had swab tests that confirmed they were positive for COVID-19.

Last Monday, the Ministry of Health (MSP) confirmed the first case of the EG.5 omicron mutation in a patient from Pichincha. Currently, three people have been confirmed to be infected with the virus.

Citizens with complex respiratory symptoms who have been diagnosed have gone to medical centers to be checked for COVID-19 or other respiratory diseases.

Dr. Orlando Pin explained that dozens of patients with respiratory illnesses had arrived at his clinic in Flo de Bastion, seven of whom had tested positive for COVID-19 through swab tests.

The doctor explained that the main symptoms include fever, throat secretions, hoarseness, mucus, and even chest tightness and headache.

“There are people who didn’t get their full dose of the vaccine and now the alarm is coming again, they have to take care of themselves,” he explained.

Dozens of patients with respiratory complications also arrived at Bicentennial Hospital, where they were checked and, if COVID-19 was suspected, given confirmatory testing. (Yo)