Epilepsy Management during the COVID-19 pandemic in Epilepsy Monitoring Unit

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly spreading infectious disease caused by the novel human coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [1]. The symptoms of COVID-19 infection usually appear after an incubation period of about five days. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 illness are fever, cough, and fatigue; other symptoms include headache, hemoptysis, and dyspnea, among others. In the most severe cases, patients may develop pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute cardiac problems, and multi organ failure[2]. Iran reported its first confirmed cases of SARSCoV2 infection on 19 February 2020. As of 28 April 2020 there were 5,806 COVID-19 deaths with more than 91,000 confirmed infections in Iran. Strict quarantine measures have not been implemented in response to this outbreak in Iran; however, the government’s actions included cancellation of all public events, closure of schools, and shopping centres, and banning of festival celebrations [3].