42-year-old woman died of Covid-19 six days after hospitalization

A healthy 42-year-old woman died six days after she was admitted to hospital for Covid-19, as health authorities called upon citizens whether young or old to seek urgent medical attention and get tested if they feel unwell.
Hong Kong today reported 41 unknown source local infections -- the highest in the latest wave -- among 95 new confirmed cases.
The remaining 51 are linked to previous local infections, with three imported, taking the tally to 7,542 yesterday, in addition to more than 70 preliminary positive patients awaiting confirmation.
The death toll rose to 117 as two more women aged 42 and 97 died on Saturday night and yesterday, respectively.
The 42-year-old who lived in home ownership scheme estate Grand View Garden in Diamond Hill had no underlying illness.
She was already having a fever, coughs and shortness of breath on December 3 but only went attended Queen Elizabeth Hospital on December 6 in a serious condition. She required resuscitation and intubation before she was sent to the intensive care unit for further treatment, said Hospital Authority chief manager for patient safety and risk management Sara Ho Yuen-ha.
Her samples taken upon admission came back positive for Covid and she had been in critical condition since Tuesday before dying Saturday night.
“The patient enjoyed a good health history,” Ho said. “But she had a very high viral load and soon after she was admitted, she developed pneumonia and suffered from severe inflammation.
” Doctors treated the woman with a cocktail therapy of interferons and several antiviral drugs, and she had been connected to an artificial heart and lung machine for several days before her death, Ho said.
Despite being listed as an unknown local source patient, Centre for Health Protection Chuang Shuk-kwan said the woman recalled coming into contact with previously confirmed patients at work.
The 42-year-old is the third youngest Hong Kong patient to die of Covid-19, after a 39-year-old diabetic man who died in February and a 38-year-old man with chronic illness who was hit by flu and Covid and died earlier this month.
Asked why the virus killed the woman so quickly, Ho said: “Everyone has a different susceptibility to the virus. That's why we recommend symptomatic patients to attend to doctors for checks and treatment immediately, as we will never know whose condition could deteriorate rapidly.”
Ho said several more young patients being treated at ICUs in critical condition had seen their conditions take a turn for the worse soon after hospitalization, adding half of the patients in Queen Elizabeth's ICU are below 60.