British pilot able to stand, undergoing physical therapy

The
development is a miracle, said doctors from the hospital on June 16.

Several
days ago, the patient, named Stephen
Cameron, could sit up in a wheelchair and enjoy the fresh air on the
balcony of the hospital. He could move his hands and legs, press key on a keyboard,
and use a mobile phone.

Doctors
said he still needed time to regain use of his leg muscles.

He
has been disconnected from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation  (ECMO) for 13 days and come off the
ventilator for three days, said Associate Professor Luong Ngoc Khue, head of the health ministry’s Department
of Medical Examination and Treatment and deputy head of treatment subcommittee under the National Steering
Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The
patient is in a stable condition and is able to talk. Hand and arm muscles have
gradually recovered. About four fifths of his leg muscles have recovered. He
undergoes  twice a day.

The subcommittee said the British
pilot needs many weeks to recover. During the recovery period, there might
be new phases of infections.

According
to Dr Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, director of HCM City’s Hospital of
Tropical Diseases, the company which sold insurance to the patient agreed to
cover expenses for 65 days he was treated at the hospital. The expenses were
estimated to reach 3.5 billion VND (152,000 USD).

The
91st patient has been treated at hospitals for 89 days. He was moved from the
Hospital of Tropical Diseases to the Intensive Care Unit of Cho Ray
Hospital on May 22 with severely damaged lungs.

He
was the most critical COVID-19 patient in Vietnam and tested negative for
SARS-CoV-2 at least six times./.