Coronaviruses - Volume 6, Issue 3, 2025

The mutated strain of the novel coronavirus has spread in Ilam. In this case report, we have described the recovery of a pregnant woman infected with the mutated coronavirus, admitted to the Shahid Mostafa Khomeini Hospital of Ilam.

A 34-year-old pregnant woman was initially admitted to the coronavirus ward and then intubated due to hypoxia. She was transferred to the obstetrics and gynecology ward for delivery and then returned to the coronavirus ward. After three days, she was extubated and finally discharged.

With a quick diagnosis of coronavirus, the chances of survival and recovery can be significantly increased among those affected. All people who present with flu-like symptoms during the coronavirus epidemic, if it arises in the future, should be considered to be infected with the mutated coronavirus and timely receive treatments and supportive measures. Furthermore, they and their family members should be screened with the tests able to detect the mutated strain of the coronavirus.

Since nurses are responsible for caring of patients, increasing their knowledge will lead to better care. Here, we measured nurses’ COVID-19 knowledge in the teaching hospitals of Ilam.

In this study, descriptive-analytical approach was used for data collection using a self-assessment questionnaire including demographic information and 12 questions about nurses' knowledge of COVID-19 disease. The data were collected in May 2020 and analyzed by SPSS 19 software. The significance level was considered at p < 0.05.

Overall, 134 (72.4%) and 51 (27.6%) of the participants were males and females, respectively. The mean score of knowledge about COVID-19 disease was 6.04 ± 0.45. Nearly half of the nurses (45.4%) had good knowledge on the source of the disease, signs and symptoms, transmission routes, and progression and mortality rate of COVID-19.

Most of the nurses had intermediate knowledge about COVID-19. However, it is essential for the Ministry of Health to provide accurate and coherent information according to the WHO guidelines.

COVID-19 pandemic is a global challenge negatively affecting various aspects of health of different age groups. One of the groups involved with the psychological challenges of COVID-19 were the veterans and their families. So, this study was conducted to compare the health anxiety and social exclusion in elderlies and youths referring to the Veteran Foundation in COVID-19 pandemic.

This descriptive study was conducted on 114 clients of the Veterans Foundation in order to compare the health anxiety and social exclusion in the elderlies and adults referring to Veterans Foundation in the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were collected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using demographic, health anxiety and social exclusion questionnaires.

In the comparison of social exclusion and its sub-dimensions, the variables of Out-group social support, participation and shame have a significant difference (p < 0.05) and the average of out-group support in the adults is more than in the elderlies, while the average of participation and social shame is higher in the elderlies than the adults. There is an inverse and significant correlation between the indicators of social relations, participation and the total social exclusion with health anxiety in youths (p < 0.05).

Given the risks of social exclusion on the physical and mental health of the elderlies and its correlation with health anxiety, it seems that, more attention should be paid to the effects of the disease on the mental and social health of the elderlies in COVID-19 prevention programs.

Since the emergence of COVID-19 in early 2020, increased hepatic markers have been reported, indicating potential vulnerability and predictive value for patient outcomes. Hence, this study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on liver function markers and their association with clinical outcomes.

In this cross-sectional study, 392 PCR or CT-Scan confirmed COVID-19 patients from Sabzevar and Mashhad, Iran, were categorized into outpatients, mild-to-moderate, and severe hospitalization groups. Liver enzymes, including AST, ALT, and ALP, were measured, and their associations with disease severity and outcomes were analyzed.

Of the participants, 130 were outpatients, and 262 were hospitalized, with a higher male predominance in severe cases. Inpatients showed significantly elevated ALP compared to outpatients. Severe inpatients exhibited higher initial blood sugar levels and longer hospital stays. Elevated AST and ALT levels were notable in ICU admissions and patients requiring mechanical ventilation. A significant difference in pre-admission AST levels was observed between deceased and recovered patients. No correlation was found between liver enzymes and factors like gender, blood oxygen level, respiratory rate, fever, and BMI.

Elevated liver enzymes, particularly AST and ALT, are indicative of COVID-19 severity and can predict the need for intensive care and mechanical ventilation. AST levels may also serve as a prognostic marker for patient outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring liver function in COVID-19 management.

A major share of medicinal plants in India is collected from tropical forests. These plants are widely used to treat various infectious diseases, particularly during the recent pandemic. Governments have recommended different medicinal plants for treating the symptoms and management of COVID-19 in the country, where these plants have been used to treat different ailments for centuries. The recent pandemic has led to increased dependency on traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine, especially for post-care treatment and symptom management, which has led to an increase in demand for these plants, but there is a limited understanding of the availability of these plants, especially those which are used for treatment. Hence, this study aimed to analyze the market scenario of medicinal plants.

This research was conducted through secondary data analysis, using data collected from government reports and the collected data was analysed using percentage analysis.

This study found there is a low and steady increase in the export of medicinal plants and a demand of 511510 MT of produce, among which Amla, Aswaghanga, Kalmegh and Mulethi have higher demand among the medicinal plants used for COVID-19. There is a significant 25.52 percent decline in cultivation.

This study emphasizes the need for constant production of these plants as well as a regular outlook on the market scenario to help policymakers in the robust use of these medicinal plants and to plan for future unforeseen disease outbreaks.