Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : June 25, 2020 1:07 PM IST
Experts say Covid-19 may cause long-term damage on major organs.
Kudos to those who beat the COVID-19 virus and survived the deadly disease! You guys are an inspiration for us all. But there's something you need to know. Experts say even if you have survived the infectious disease, you may be at risk of long-term organ damage.
A leaked guidance from the UK National Health Service (NHS) has warned that up to 30 per cent of COVID-19 survivors may suffer from pulmonary fibrosis, the irreversible scarring of the lungs. They could also face cognitive and psychological impairments, including chronic fatigue syndrome stated the NHS guidance, which was reported first by The Telegraph on Tuesday.
Previous coronaviruses, such as SARS and MERS, are already known to cause persistent damage to the lungs. The SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, also belongs to the same family. So, the NHS guidance suggested that 1 in 3 COVID-19 survivors may suffer 'irreversible' lung damage if the novel coronavirus takes the same path as SARS or MERS.
Further, the guidance also cautioned that one in seven COVID-19 patients who fought for their lives on intensive care may be struck down with lasting brain damage. It said that seventy per cent of them will suffer delirium which will lead to 'established cognitive impairment' in one in five cases, reports Daily Mail.
However, the Daily Mail report noted that evidence on COVID-19 is 'murky' as scientists have only spotted the deadly pathogen six month ago in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Several studies have also suggested that SARS-CoV-2 virus may affect the brain, causing seizures and stroke, and cause damage to the liver, kidneys, heart and blood vessels.
A paper published in the journal JAMA Cardiology in March found that one in five of 416 COVID-19 patients hospitalised in Wuhan, China, had suffered heart damage.
Meanwhile, physiotherapists also fear that COVID-19 patients can suffer a loss of mobility if they are stuck on hospital wards for weeks or endure flashbacks. An expert also told the Daily Mail that some patients would get 'post-traumatic stress, anxiety or depression'.
Some studies have also warned that COVID-19 survivors are at risk for Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A study results published in medRxiv in April reported the prevalence of acute post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among Chinese citizens after the COVID-19 outbreak. Another study, published in the journal Psychological Medicine on March 27th, found that a significant number of COVID-19 survivors suffered from PTSD before being released from quarantine.
According to some experts, coronavirus patients may be left short of breath for months and may endure weeks of fatigue after their battle with the disease.
Government scientists in the UK have called for studies to investigate the lasting effects of the illness, which some experts have branded 'post-Covid disability' and likened to polio, as reported by the Daily Mail.
UK's National Health Service (NHS) has already opened a rehabilitation centre to help thousands of Covid-19 patients recover from the long-term damage caused by the virus, the newspaper said.
In India, 1,83,022 cases are currently active, and 2,58,684 patients have recovered - according to the Health Ministry data. The recovery rate of patients suffering from COVID-19 is improving in the country and has reached almost 56.37 per cent as per IANS report.
However, scientists are still clueless as to how long it takes for COVID-19 infected patients to fully recover from the disease.
