“Epidemic febrile diseases characterised by symptoms of dampness (humor)” (shiwen): examination of the clinical features of Covid-19 in Shanghai

ABSTRACT

The article looks at Covid-19 from the perspective of classical Chinese Medicine. On the strength of their clinical experience with the illness, the authors assign it to the category of epidemic febrile diseases characterised by dampness (humor) (shiwen 瘟) within the group of “warm diseases” (wenbing). They explain the nomenclature used in the classical medical works for epidemic diseases and describe the mechanisms of the disease in which dampness (humor, shi) plays a prominent role. Describing the symptoms occurring in the four different stages of the disease, they explain the pathogenesis of each stage.