Doctors find new atypical symptoms linked to COVID-19 in elderly and children

YRMC expands testing criteria to include atypical symptoms

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY)- Doctors at Yuma Regional Medical Center (YRMC) are learning new things about the novel coronavirus every day.

YRMC is expanding its criteria for testing, no longer basing it on exposure to the virus but including an ever-evolving list of atypical symptoms.

Daily literary searches and communication with the CDC and Arizona Department of Health Services have given doctors further insight on transmission, timeline, and complications associated with the coronavirus.

Dr. Bharat Magu, chief medical officer at YRMC said, “As the disease is progressing and more and more people are being infected, we are now finding out some of the atypical symptoms.”

In the elderly, doctors are now seeing confusion and mental status changes; in addition or prior to the common symptoms like fever, cough, shortness of breath, headaches, and abdominal pain.


While the elderly remain the most vulnerable, atypical symptoms are also showing up in children.

It's being called pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome.

Fever, skin rashes, and abdominal pain are some of the symptoms.

Dr. Magu said, “One of the diseases is called Kawasaki disease. This is a multi-system inflammation. Some kids already have a diagnosis of the disease. COVID appears to flare the disease process. When that happens, kids are needing very intensive care to stabilize them. ”

The CDC confirmed cases in 14 states, including California.

However, health experts emphasize parents should not panic.

The condition is very rare and the vast majority of kids infected with COVID-19 have mild symptoms or none at all.

“I think its uncharted territory for us, and health care professionals across the world. But I think we are much better now at least we have more insight into the disease process more than we had a few months back I would say,” Dr. Magu said.

COVID-19 related deaths in Yuma County remain relatively low and the hospital hopes to keep it that way.

Dr. Magu says wearing a mask in public is critical at this point to reduce the transmission of the virus now that stay at home orders are lifted.