Polycythemia in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients: An early screening marker

Abstract

The looming COVID-19 crisis imparts an imminent threat to the healthcare and economic systems of developing countries. Quetta as the most populous city in province, has shown a maximum number of cases in the province and the case/death graph is increasing. Only two tertiary care hospitals in the city, Fatimah Jinnah Chest and Sheikh Zayed General Hospital and Hospital, Quetta, manage symptomatic cases of COVID-19 and only level 3 biosecurity laboratories Fatimah Jinnah Dada and General Hospital carry out testing facilities PCR time. This laboratory accepts samples from all provinces. The limited laboratory capacity of caused delays in reporting, which resulted in tests being delayed. Since April 2020, close asymptomatic contacts of COVID-19 positive patients or patients with mild symptoms who meet the case definition have been tested;and upon learning of their positive status, they were transferred from the quarantine facility to the central diagnostic isolation center. Fifteen positive patients were admitted to hospitals. According to the local protocol, all patients received chest X-rays and basic laboratory tests, including complete blood images from the same laboratory. The mean age of these patients was 29.1 years (range 25 to 45 years). Of these patients, three were heavy smokers and none had a history of chronic pulmonary or cardiovascular disease. There is a lack of evidence-based guidelines and limited resources, including a lack of testing facilities. To date, across the country, the total daily capacity of RT-PCR is only 11,000 tests. Complete blood count test (the test is available and less expensive) as part of the initial screening, can be useful as a screening tool before carrying out the RT PCR test in suspected healthy cases.