18-year-old girl has severe pneumonia one month after recovering from COVID-19

On the morning of May 23, doctors of Phu Tho Provincial General Hospital said they had received a female patient (18 years old, residing in Viet Tri, Phu Tho) with a state of cough, fever, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.

Patient with a healthy history, recovered COVID-19 a month ago, had 2 doses of vaccine. After being admitted to the hospital, this girl was examined and tested, doctors diagnosed respiratory failure – severe pneumonia after Covid-19.

Before that, the patient at home coughed sputum, had a high fever of 39 degrees Celsius, chest pain on both sides, difficulty breathing gradually increased in 3 days, did not take any special medicine. Checking at the hospital, the female patient was awake, in average condition, with pink skin and mucous membranes, hot fever, cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, labored tachypnea, tachycardia, decreased lung ventilation, tingling rales. Explosion on both lungs, soft abdomen.

Blood test results showed an increased infection, severe hypoxemia. The results of computed tomography of the thorax showed pulmonary consolidation, many nodular lesions, and scattered inflammatory opacities.

The patient was thoroughly examined for organ function, treated according to the regimen with high-flow oxygen, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, nutrition improve fitness. After 5 days of treatment, this person responded well, the infection status, lung function, and general condition improved. The patient was stable and was discharged after 12 days of treatment.

According to doctors, common post-COVID-19 symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, sleep disturbances, taste disturbances, increased blood clotting, fatigue, and decreased stamina. The most effective measures to prevent post-COVID-19 conditions are to prevent getting COVID-19 (e.g. vaccination, mask wearing, hand hygiene).

Measures to reduce the incidence or severity of acute COVID-19 infection will reduce the incidence and severity of the condition after illness. Post-COVID-19 manifestations are abundant. Therefore, in order to make a diagnosis, doctors need to ask about acute COVID-19 symptoms and manifestations during examination to make appropriate testing, diagnosis and treatment requirements.