Bengaluru: Getting infected with COVID and then testing negative for it is not the end of the story. Recent findings show that over half of people who contract COVID-19, even those with mild infections, suffer from a range of conditions for months after they recover.
“Breathlessness, chest pain and heart issues, joint pain, vision problems, memory loss, months after contracting the novel coronavirus are some of the post-COVID-19 problems,” Dr Ravindra Mehta, senior consultant of pulmonology at Apollo Hospitals said after launching a post-COVID recovery clinic in the city, reported The New Indian Express (TNIE).
“Post-Covid symptoms we found include pulmonary fibrosis (lung disease caused by scarring/damage to lung tissue) that can last between 6-12 months, cardiovascular effects such as clots in legs and myocardial inflammation, fatigue, mood changes, headaches and body pain,” Dr Mehta told the media.
How does COVID-19 affect well-being post-recovery?
Covid-19 attacks not just the lungs but also other organs in the body and leaves lingering health issues. Some conditions manifest weeks or months after patients recover, impacting their well-being long afterwards, the report added.
Apart from acute events such as stroke and myocardial infarction (tissue death due to failure of blood supply), chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension are part of the post-Covid syndrome.
Many people who have recovered have died suddenly, in most cases, due to acute cardiac events.
“Half of the patients come back with issues that require prolonged treatment. We are seeing heart issues among people aged around 28-30 years,” N G Bharateesha Reddy, vice-president of Apollo BGS Hospitals was quoted as saying by TNIE.
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