This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-53069427
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| First coronavirus patients 'not ill enough for hospital' | First coronavirus patients 'not ill enough for hospital' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The doctor who treated the first two patients in the UK diagnosed with coronavirus has revealed they were not ill enough to be in hospital. | The doctor who treated the first two patients in the UK diagnosed with coronavirus has revealed they were not ill enough to be in hospital. |
| Dr Matthias Schmid led the team at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle where two members of the same family were admitted on 31 January. | Dr Matthias Schmid led the team at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle where two members of the same family were admitted on 31 January. |
| The head of infectious diseases said his team learned a lot from the patients about the virus. | The head of infectious diseases said his team learned a lot from the patients about the virus. |
| However, he said had they got the virus now they would not need hospital care. | However, he said had they got the virus now they would not need hospital care. |
| The pair, Chinese nationals who were from the same family, had been visiting York when they became ill. | The pair, Chinese nationals who were from the same family, had been visiting York when they became ill. |
| As they were thought to have coronavirus they were transferred to the RVI, as it was a specialist centre. | |
| 'Sheer excitement' | |
| Dr Schmid said: "At the time the situation was classed as being highly dangerous - we had the reports from Wuhan of many patients dying. | Dr Schmid said: "At the time the situation was classed as being highly dangerous - we had the reports from Wuhan of many patients dying. |
| "In one way we were very excited, preparing for it the previous weeks and being ready for the situation. | "In one way we were very excited, preparing for it the previous weeks and being ready for the situation. |
| "Not like a funfair excitement, but sheer excitement we were now in action." | "Not like a funfair excitement, but sheer excitement we were now in action." |
| Senior sister at the RVI, Margaret Ward, was one of the team who helped care for them. | Senior sister at the RVI, Margaret Ward, was one of the team who helped care for them. |
| She said: "I got a phone call at about four in the morning and I immediately dived into the car and came to work. | She said: "I got a phone call at about four in the morning and I immediately dived into the car and came to work. |
| "Things that were going through my mind were, 'how were staffing levels and how ill were the patients going to be?'." | "Things that were going through my mind were, 'how were staffing levels and how ill were the patients going to be?'." |
| The patients made a full recovery and were discharged on 15 February. | The patients made a full recovery and were discharged on 15 February. |
| Dr Schmid added: "The patients were actually very well indeed and had mild symptoms. In fact if it had been a few weeks on they would not have been admitted to hospital. | Dr Schmid added: "The patients were actually very well indeed and had mild symptoms. In fact if it had been a few weeks on they would not have been admitted to hospital. |
| "We did take a lot of samples from them and learned about the infectiousness of the bug." | "We did take a lot of samples from them and learned about the infectiousness of the bug." |