Medical Staff in China with Darkened Skin After COVID-19 Infection

"Pigmentation as a Likely Cause"
"Liver Function Impaired, Increasing Iron Content in Blood"

Dr. Yi Pan (易凡), a cardiac surgeon at Wuhan Central Hospital, showed symptoms of skin darkening after being infected with COVID-19 and receiving inpatient treatment for over two months. The left side shows a photo before the COVID-19 infection, and the right side shows him lying in bed after the infection. / Photo by Beijing Satellite TV

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, Intern Reporter Lim Joo-hyung] Images of Chinese medical staff whose skin turned black during treatment after contracting the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) have been revealed. Some speculate that the change in skin color may be due to damage to certain bodily organs caused by COVID-19.

On the 19th (local time), local media including China's 'Beijing Satellite TV' released images of two medical workers receiving treatment in a COVID-19 isolation ward in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.

The two individuals are Yi Pan (易凡), a cardiac surgeon at Wuhan Central Hospital, and Hu Weifeng (胡??), a urologist, who were infected with COVID-19 while providing medical support and were transferred to the isolation ward.

According to the broadcast, they have been hospitalized for over 60 days since contracting COVID-19 in February. In the released footage, both individuals’ skin appears blackened compared to before their infection.

Urology doctor Hou Weifeng (胡??) at Wuhan Central Hospital also showed symptoms of skin turning black while receiving inpatient treatment. / Photo by Beijing Satellite TV Capture

Some have suggested that COVID-19 may have caused damage to certain organ functions. Dr. Song Jian, a member of the Hubei epidemic prevention medical team, stated, "In severe COVID-19 patients, there are many cases where various organ functions are significantly impaired," and added, "The most likely cause of the blackened skin of the medical staff is pigmentation."

He further explained, "Iron ingested through medications and regular food is sent to the liver, but patients with liver dysfunction cannot process it normally. As a result, this iron flows into the bloodstream, and when the iron content in the blood becomes excessively high, the patient's skin appears blackened externally."

A paper titled 'Liver injury in COVID-19: management and challenges,' published on the 4th of last month in the British medical journal The Lancet, confirmed that patients in critical condition due to COVID-19 experienced more liver damage compared to mild cases.

Meanwhile, the two medical workers were treated in the intensive care unit and were transferred to a general recovery room starting from the 30th of last month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.