Blood clot that broke loose caused death of 79-year-old Covid-19 patient in Moscow
MOSCOW. March 19 (Interfax) - A postmortem examination has established that the death of a 79-year-old woman suffering from the Covid-19 coronavirus in a Moscow hospital was caused by a blood clot that broke loose, the city taskforce for the coronavirus situation told Interfax on Thursday.
"The guiding diagnosis was indeed viral pneumonia. However, [it was established] based on the results of the postmortem examination that she died from a blood clot that broke loose," the taskforce said, citing Moscow's chief forensic pathologist Oleg Zairatyants.
The cause of the woman's death was the "massive thrombotic occlusion of both pulmonary arteries," Zairatyants said.
"Even though the patient was hospitalized with the initial symptoms of pneumonia and, while still alive, tested positive for the coronavirus infection, the cause of her death was a blood clot that broke loose, not pneumonia. There were no changes in her lungs at time of death. Her severe concurrent chronic diseases were confirmed, including type 2 diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, and coronary heart disease," he said.
Earlier today, the taskforce for control and monitoring of the coronavirus situation in Moscow reported the death of an elderly patient.