Coronavirus: UAE-led study finds cancer patients 'at double the risk' of contracting Covid-19

The study, funded by the Khalifa Foundation, said global health officials need to come up with action plans to deliver treatment during the pandemic

Carrefour shoppers at the parking lot with their groceries at the Yas Mall. Victor Besa / The National

People wearing protective face mask after doing shopping at the Carrefour supermarket in Ibn Battuta mall in Dubai. UAE government told residents to wear facemask and gloves all the times outside the home. Pawan Singh / The National

A grocery shopper with a face mask on at Souk Planet, Khalifa City. Face masks should be worn at all times when outside the home, the UAE government said on Saturday. Victor Besa / The National

People wearing protective face mask after doing shopping at the Carrefour in Discovery Pavilion in Discovery Gardens area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A delivery driver stacks water to provide to residents in an extremely quiet Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

One of the shopper with protective face mask after doing shopping at the Carrefour supermarket in Ibn Battuta mall in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, April 5, 2020. Grocery shoppers with face mask s on at Souk Planet, Khalifa City. Face masks should be worn at all times when outside the home, the UAE government said on Saturday. Victor Besa / The National

A construction worker crosses the street with a mask on at Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi. Face masks should be worn at all times when outside the home. Victor Besa / The National

A lone Zomato delivery man crosses the Al Bandar overpass at Khalifa City. Victor Besa / The National

The Warner Brothers theme park on Yas Island was temporarily closed during the pandemic. Victor Besa / The National

Barriers in place at Sunset Beach near Jumeirah Beach Hotel, during the height of the pandemic. Antonie Robertson / The National

A cleaner drives a street sweeper in Jumeirah, Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

Pharmacies across the country have seen a spike in sales of face masks. Antonie Robertson / The National

A man prays alone in a car park in Sharjah when mosques, churches and temples were temporarily closed. Antonie Robertson / The National

Lines of taxis sit outside Global Village in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A healthcare worker on her way to work on a gloomy Monday morning at the Al Mushrif area of Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

During the height of the pandemic the RTA closed entrances leading to Al Ras area of Dubai from three main roads and interchanges: Al Musalla, Al Khaleej, and Baniyas Streets. Reem Mohammed / The National

An empty Sunset Beach located between the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Kite Beach in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

A man walks, while wearing a mask, to get to work in Dubai during the stay home policy in the UAE. Antonie Robertson / The National .

A man cleans the Barsha Heights welcome sign at the entrance to the neighbourhood in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management announced increased restrictions on movement in Al Ras area of Dubai for two weeks to facilitate intensified sterilisation procedures in 2020. Reem Mohammed / The National

A sign at Global Village thanking Dubai's heroes. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A man waits on the street with a face mask on outside a restaurant in Barsha Heights in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A UAE-led study has found cancer patients face double the risk of contracting Covid-19 – prompting calls for global health officials to take decisive action to safeguard lives.

The research review, funded by the Khalifa Foundation, noted that people with cancer are more susceptible to infection.

The findings are a source for concern as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise all over the world.

The research review aimed to address the challenges of cancer care during a pandemic, state news agency Wam reported.

"Cancer patients appear to have an estimated two-fold increased risk of contracting Covid-19 than the general population," the research said.

The report stated this is partly because of the effects cancer treatments have on the immune system.

The study concluded that medical support for those battling cancer would have to be adapted.

"This includes changes to resource allocation, clinical care, and the consent process during a pandemic," the report stated.

Studies and research regarding preparedness plans for cancer patients' care during an infectious pandemic are limited, the review said.

It pointed out that strong leadership and clear planning was vital to aid to those most vulnerable to suffering serious health problems as a result of contracting the highly contagious disease.

"Strong leadership within oncology and haematology teams nationally and locally will be needed to ensure timely and proportionate implementation of contingency plans, which balance risks and protect patients and healthcare workers as infections rise," the review went on to say.

Critical strategies to be put in place include clear communication and education about hand hygiene, infection control measures, high-risk exposure, and the signs and symptoms of the virus.

Doctors would have to consider the possibility of postponing elective surgery or chemotherapy treatment for some patients on "a case-by-case basis".

Limiting the number of outpatient visits and hospital admissions was crucial to mitigating the risk of exposure to infection, with the prospect of treating patients remotely via video technology raised as a possible solution.

The review was published in the latest edition of The Oncologist, a medical journal dedicated to best care practices for cancer patients.