Coronavirus latest cases are a staggering 153,000 infections and 20,732 deaths in the UK. The deadly virus is typically signalled by three symptoms including a fever, an insistent cough and shortness of breath. However older adults, the most at risk of severe complications or death from this condition, may have none of these characteristics. Health experts warn of an unusual sign of seniors appearing “off”.
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COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect the lungs and airways.
Spotting symptoms of the deadly virus is as always extremely crucial in order to self-isolate and monitor one’s health.
Body aches, sore throats, headaches, stomach issues, inability to smell or taste are some of the lesser known warning symptoms.
Leading health experts are warning older patients may have different signs to their younger counterparts which include not acting like themselves early on after being infected by the coronavirus.
Dr Camille Vaughan, section chief of geriatrics and gerontology at Emory University said: “With a lot of conditions, older adults don’t present in a typical way.
“We’re seeing that with COVID-19 as well.”
Symptoms older adults may experience include becoming easily dizzy and even falling.
With some seniors even being unable to speak or simply collapse.
Why the elderly experience different symptoms?
Dr Aaron Glatt, chairman of the department of medicine at South Nassau Communities Hospitals said: “Just as you probably can’t run as fast as you used to in your 20s, your immune system doesn’t work as well as it used to.”
Dr Kira Rubtsova, researcher at National Jewish Health in Denver added: “The medical community is still trying to determine exactly how and why immunity decreases with age.
“What researchers do know is that older adults’ immune systems do not work as well as they should.
“The immune system includes T cells, which attack other illness causing cells.
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“They are able to remember an invader and then are able to defend against it better when it happens again.
“For the elderly, however, they make fewer T cells and most vaccines require new ones to work.
“Not only do the elderly have fewer immune cells as they age, the one is they do have do not communicate with each other as well.
“Which means they take longer to react to harmful germs.
“The body produces fewer immune cells, including white blood cells. That can slow down healing.”
Dr Quaratulain Syed, a geriatrician described a man in his 80s whom she treated.
Over the period of days, the patient showed cognitive impairment, stopped walking and became incontinent and profoundly lethargic.
However, he did not have a fever or a cough.
The man was later tested for COVID-19 and produced a positive result.
The disorientation, confusion and collapsing can often be misdiagnosed for a stroke.
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