A nurse treating patients with Covid-19 says red eyes may be a sign that someone is infected.
Chelsey Earnest, a worker at the Life Care Center in Kirkland – the epicenter of the outbreak in Washington – told CNN that the eyes were ‘the single most important’ sign that residents had COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
‘It’s something that I witnessed in all of the patients,’ she said.
‘They have, like…allergy eyes. The white part of the eye is not red. It’s more like they have red eye shadow on the outside of their eyes.’
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) doesn’t have red eyes – or any eye issues – on its list of symptoms.
What is included are fever, cough and shortness of breath. Persistent pain or pressure in the chest and bluish lips are listed as emergency signs.
But the American Academy of Ophthalmology sent an alert on Sunday about reports that the virus can cause conjunctivitis, which is inflammation of the membrane that lines the eyelid.
Earnest said patients at Life Care Center often would go from having no other symptoms but red eyes to dying.
‘We’ve had patients that just had the red eyes as the only symptom that we saw and go to the hospital and pass away,’ she told CNN.
‘I’ve even had the disaster medical control physician say: “Do they have the red eyes?” And I will say: “Yes.”
‘And he’ll say: “I’ll find you a bed.” It’s just something about this, the way that it affects these patients.’
Life Care Center, which is located outside Seattle, has been one of hardest hit from the virus since the first cases were detected in February.
People, Please #StayAtHome, that’s the only way to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Source : Daily Mail