Patients affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) are being treated with state-of-the-art options under Hamad Medical Corporation's (HMC) care, the healthcare provider has highlighted.

In a press statement, HMC confirmed that it has dedicated six of its hospitals to the treatment of patients with COVID-19.

These hospitals include: Hazm Mebeireek General Hospital, the Communicable Disease Centre (CDC), The Cuban Hospital, Ras Laffan Hospital, Mesaieed Hospital, and the newly-opened field hospital in Al Sheehaniya. 

Together the facilities provide an increased bed capacity of more than 4,000.

In terms of treatment, Dr Muna Al Maslamani, CDC medical director, said, "There are no approved vaccines or medicine for COVID-19, but patients can receive medical care to relieve their symptoms. While most COVID-19 patients in Qatar experience only mild symptoms, some do require additional levels of care and support."

One of the treatment options that the CDC began using earlier is blood plasma treatment. 

Blood plasma treatment involves collecting blood from patients who have fully recovered from COVID-19, then transfusing this blood into patients who are currently receiving treatment for the virus.

The idea behind this treatment is that the antibodies that were formed in a COVID-19 survivor, which helped the patient defeat the virus, may also be useful to fight the virus in other affected patients.

According to Dr Al Maslamani, there is some evidence suggesting the plasma treatment improves the overall condition of patients with the virus.

Until now, 91 patients have received plasma from 79 recovered donors with donations from recovered patients rising every week, the HMC statement added.

HMC Using State-of-the-Art Treatment Options for Patients with COVID-19https://t.co/2pZy3baOxa#YourSafetyIsMySafety pic.twitter.com/LNtl59WGhp

— مؤسسة حمد الطبية (@HMC_Qatar) May 17, 2020

A majority of the critically ill COVID-19 patients receive treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Hazm Mebeireek General Hospital and those severely ill with the virus often require mechanical ventilation.

A small percentage will require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy, HMC stated.

Dr Ahmed Al Mohamed, acting chairman of HMC’s Intensive Care Units, said, "The ECMO technology can oxygenate a severely sick COVID-19 pneumonia patient's blood without the need to transfer the oxygen through fluid-filled lungs. ECMO replaces the function of the lung like the dialysis function for a kidney."

Dr Al Mohamed mentioned that those COVID-19 patients who undergo ECMO therapy are among the sickest being treated.

"Severely ill COVID-19 patients require sophisticated treatment and we have not only sufficient numbers of staff and equipment but also the specialized skills and experience required to care for the sickest patients,” he said.

According to Dr Al Mohamed, the average length of stay for patients with COVID-19 in the ICU has been two to three weeks. However, those with existing medical conditions take longer to recover from the illness.

Health authorities in Qatar continue to implement the highest level of monitoring, detection, and management procedures to deal with the virus, the public has been advised to follow certain measures to safeguard their health.

For any queries, or concerns related to COVID-19 in Qatar, the public can contact a 24/7 hotline set up by the Ministry. The hotline number is 16000 and is toll-free.

Here's everything you need to know about the virus, including ways to protect yourself.

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