Non-communicable diseases were the underlying common factor among those who have died of Covid-19 in the Coast region.

According to data seen by the Saturday Nation, at least 26 of the 32 people who succumbed to the virus in Mombasa had diabetes, hypertension, asthma and heart-related diseases.

The revelation comes as a study published in the Diabetologia journal found that one in 10 diabetics with the coronavirus dies within seven days of hospital admission. The study featured more than 1,300 patients.

“The presence of diabetic complications and advanced age increase the risk of death,” the researchers said.

The study showed that problems related to larger arteries in the heart, brain and legs were reported in more than 40 per cent of the patients. The presence of either type of complication doubled the risk of death by the 17th day of hospitalisation.

Mombasa’s Old Town is leading with 10 deaths, Ganjoni four, Bondeni three, Kenya Ports Authority two, Kisauni two, Majengo two, Bamburi one, Nyali one and Jomvu one. The youngest victim was 38 years old while the oldest was 84.

“We have a Covid-19 positive patient with a pacemaker,” said Mombasa County Health Chief Officer Khadija Shikely.

“Some 99 per cent of those who succumbed in Mombasa had underlying health issues,” Dr Shikely said.

In an interview with the Saturday Nation at the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) Covid-19 Treatment Centre, Dr Shikely said the county has been forced to change strategy due to the emerging threats.

Stigmatisation

“We are now working with the communities to help us go house to house, get to know who is there and convince them to test,” Dr Shikely said.

The medic attributes the lifestyle diseases to genetic make-up, eating high-fat foods and lack of exercise.

“If you have any underlying health condition, take precaution,” Dr Shikely said.

She added: “Instead of just doing mass or targeted screening of hotspot areas like Old Town, KPA or truck drivers, we now look at an area with the elderly and not just them, because we have found those who have died have core morbidity of diabetes, hypertension, asthma and heart problems.”

The chief officer said although the county’s main focus is the elderly, those who are immobile at home are also at high risk.

“We have told the community health volunteers and our partners to look at women who are 30 to 50 years old and who are not much mobile and sick,” she said.

The county government wants residents to take care of the old, ensure they are tested and get treatment in good time. She said many people are hesitant to go for testing because of stigma associated with the virus.

As at yesterday, the county had tested 10,689 people with 490 turning positive.

The cases are spread with Mvita recording 243, Likoni has 57, Kisauni 56, Nyali 55, Changamwe 36 and Jomvu 29.

The total number of patients who have recovered stand at 143 with Coast General Hospital recording 80, TUM 30, Aga Khan 16, Mombasa Hospital nine, Jocham five and others three.

Suffering in silence

Dr Shikely said the county is seeing fewer patients seeking treatment in hospitals, adding that this is not good as most people could be suffering in silence.

“We have 224 patients at the Coast General Hospital and 157 at TUM.

The youth are not dying but they are the most infected. Positivity is mainly between 20 and 39 but mostly no symptoms at all and they are the ones infecting others. We must talk to the youth on how they can protect themselves and the elderly,” Dr Shikely warned.

Coast regional coordinator John Elungata urged residents to protect the elderly against the virus.