A new report from South Korea has shown that the majority of the people who develop coronavirus infection experience long-term side effects such as mental health disorders, lung, and heart damage as well as chronic fatigue.
Even though previous research has already shown that the aforementioned side effects are seen in a number of patients after recovery, the new study highlights how the estimated figures are wrong and instead of a few, nine in ten patients may have associated complications due to the infection in the future.
Prior to the study, the results of an online survey held by the Korean Centre for Disease Control and Prevention showed that at least ninety-one percent of people who had developed and recovered from coronavirus infection had one of the many adverse effects of the virus.
More precisely, eight hundred and seventy-nine out of the nine hundred and sixty-five participants of the survey had complications post coronavirus recovery.
Out of all the associated health issues, the vast majority had chronic fatigue even several weeks after getting treatment for the infection. Where twenty-six percent of participants had fatigue, another twenty-four percent reported being unable to concentrate and experiencing ‘brain fog’.
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In addition, loss of senses such as smell and taste as well as negative outcomes on mental health were also common in the participants.
The findings of the study are similar to those reported by existing research but the primary difference is that it shows that the prevalence of post-coronavirus complications is significantly higher than previously assumed.
For instance, a study conducted in Ireland showed that as many as fifty percent of the patients had issues including fatigue after recovery from coronavirus infection.
Similarly, the report from the U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention showed that only thirty-five percent of the patients with coronavirus infection experienced negative health outcomes following recovery.
Since it is still a lot unknown about the coronavirus, scientists state that it may be possible that the prevalence of side effects associated with the infection may have been underestimated as suggested by the new research.
However, there may be limitations in the study’s findings. For example, the research does not look at the severity of the infection in all of the participants and also does not take into account whether the people were asymptomatic or had symptoms of the infection.
Currently, the research is yet to be peer-reviewed and published along with all the fundamental details in a research journal but researchers agree that a lot of research is still required to know more about the after-effects of coronavirus infection.
Till now, scientists only know that the infection can have multiple effects on the body but they are unclear on how long can the impact last or whether some effects such as lung and heart damage can increase the risk of related health conditions in the future.
Only continued research on the infection can investigate and look at many of the theories and health outcomes associated with the coronavirus infection.
