Chinese Doctors’ Skin Turns Dark After Treatment For Coronavirus

Two Chinese doctors who contracted the coronavirus while treating patients in Wuhan have survived the virus but said one of their side effects was their skin darkening after they were placed on life support.

The New York Post reports that two 42-year-old doctors, Dr. Yi Fan, and Dr. Hu Weifeng, were diagnosed with COVID-19 on Jan. 17 while caring for patients at the Wuhan Central Hospital. Wuhan was the epicenter of the coronavirus. The virus brought the physicians’ health to a life-threatening state. Eventually, they were taken to the Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital and then transferred twice, according to the state broadcaster CCTV.

The Post reports that the doctors’ skin pigmentation darkened due to hormonal imbalance after the disease severely damaged their livers. However, one doctor believes their skin changed as a result of a specific drug the two had taken during the start of their treatment.

Fan was connected to an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) life support machine for 39 days. Weifeng was also treated with ECMO therapy and was bedridden for 99 days. An ECMO machine takes blood from the body, refills it with oxygen, and places it back into the body. “When I first gained consciousness, especially after I got to know about my condition, I felt scared. I had nightmares often,” Yi told CCTV.

Fan, a cardiologist, and Weifeng, a urologist, both worked with whistleblower Dr. Li Wenliang, who was punished for telling the world about the detriments of the virus. He died from the disease on Feb 7. The New York Post reports that both men can expect to see their color return once their livers are back in good shape. They are currently receiving mental health support to cope with their traumatic experience.