Infection with coronavirus is dangerous for cancer patients. Doctor Alexander Seryakov told what the spread of the omicron strain in Russia can lead to.
According to the oncologist, the combination of COVID-19 with cancer in 18% of cases leads to the death of the patient. Seryakov said that this is evidenced by the results of a study conducted in nine regions of Russia.
The doctor noted that American doctors also came to this conclusion, and in China the mortality rate of the combination of cancer and coronavirus was about 40%. In addition, according to him, in Russia, more than 60% of cancer patients who become ill with COVID-19 end up in intensive care.
“Of those who were admitted to the hospital, one in five ended up on artificial ventilation. That is, the problem exists, and it is being addressed together with the global problem of the COVID-19 pandemic, ”Alexander Seryakov emphasized in an interview with Sputnik radio.
According to him, if the new strain of the coronavirus omicron, which has a high spreading rate, causes a new outbreak of COVID-19 in Russia, this could lead to additional risks for people with cancer, the doctor continued.
“Many patients are now at home and do not visit polyclinics. This is fraught with a delayed surge in the third and fourth stages of cancer, ”said Alexander Seryakov.
As for the treatment of patients with cancer in whom the omicron strain will be detected, the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, with the appearance of the next variant of the coronavirus in the country, usually prepares new recommendations for specialists, the oncologist summed up.
On December 10, the deputy head of the Gamaleya Center, Denis Logunov, said that statements about the “lightness” of the “omicron” strain of the coronavirus are irresponsible – those who already have immunity can easily tolerate it, but it is not yet known how others will tolerate it.
According to him, there is a part of the population with suppressed immunity, an elderly part of the population, and it is irresponsible to say that this strain in their relation will flow easily.
On December 9, an expert from one of the largest associations of South African hospitals, the Netcare Group, said that Omicron causes a milder course of the disease than when infected with the Delta variant. In turn, the head of the health department of the Gauteng province, where Omicron is actively distributed, Fredrik Conuana said that the number of hospitalizations is decreasing.
On November 5, Russian and Israeli doctors recommended that cancer patients be vaccinated against COVID-19. Experts from the two countries came to this conclusion during the international conference on oncology IsraelMedDay.
On November 1, the chief freelance oncologist of the Russian Ministry of Health, director general of the National Medical Research Center for Radiology, Andrei Kaprin, said that there was no increase in the number of oncological diseases due to the increase in the number of vaccinations against coronavirus.
Russian authorities are urging residents to get vaccinated to protect their health and take care of their loved ones. Citizens are vaccinated for free. Five vaccines against coronavirus have been registered in the country: Sputnik V, which became the first vaccine against COVID-19 in the Russian Federation and the world, as well as Sputnik Light, EpiVacCorona, EpiVacCorona-N and KoviVak.
All relevant information on the situation with the coronavirus is available on the websites of stopcoronavirus.rf and accessvsem.rf, as well as by the hashtag #WeV Together. Coronavirus hotline: 8 (800) 2000-112.
