Sick with COVID-19, Saeb Erekat’s organs start to deteriorate

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat’s medical condition is worsening, according to the head of Hadassah University Medical Center, where he is being treated.

“He remains connected to an ECMO machine to support his respiratory function,” a statement disseminated within the hospital said late Thursday. “His lung function has been reduced by the effect of COVID-19 infection, on the background of previous lung transplantation.

“The treating team has also identified fungal infection (Aspergillus) in the lungs, which is being actively treated with antifungal therapy,” the statement continued. “His family was advised today that, in addition to these medical issues, there has also been some deterioration in other organ systems, as is commonly seen in critically ill patients with COVID-19.”

Erekat was admitted to the hospital earlier this week after suffering from coronavirus for the last month. He was immediately intubated on arrival before being transferred to the ECMO machine on Wednesday.

The ECMO machine allows the blood to be oxygenated while allowing the lungs to rest. Hadassah said that the move was done in order to prevent possible lung injury associated with being put on a ventilator, which occurs more commonly in transplanted lungs.

Erekat underwent a lung transplant in 2017.