Hyderabad: One in five complain of ‘long Covid’: Docs

Hyderabad: A year into the pandemic, many people who had recovered from Covid-19 continue to complain of ill health in what doctors term as ‘long Covid’. Doctors say they have been receiving post-Covid complaints from many patients, ranging from bouts of nightmares, lack of sleep, incoherence to body pains and fatigue. In a few cases post-Covid symptoms persist as long as six months after recovery. However, only those ‘long Covid’ cases with severe respiratory issues need hospitalisation.

March 11 marks first anniversary of the declaration of Covid as a pandemic by WHO. Since its recognition as a pandemic, Hyderabad witnessed thousands of cases of sequalae or ‘long Covid’, necessitating opening of post-Covid care centres in the city. City doctors estimate that one in five people suffer from post-Covid symptoms even after three weeks of recovery. According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the USA, an estimated 50 lakh people suffer from ‘long Covid’ worldwide. WHO has recognised ‘long Covid’ as many recovered patients the worldover experienced the long-term effects of the pandemic. “Post Covid syndrome, also called ‘long Covid’, is persistence of symptoms after recovery. Patients may complain of fatigue, breathlessness, anxiety, palpitations, chest discomfort and some times brain fog. These symptoms may last for a few days or months,” said Dr Aftab Ahmed, general medicine specialist, Apollo Hospitals, Secunderabad.

What exactly causes ‘long Covid’ is not clear. Researchers believe that it could be either due to relapse or failure of immune system to respond to infection.

A survey of Helping Hand Foundation, which set up Covid sequalae centre for post Covid complications, revealed about 20% patients had to undergo Covid rehabilitation while 30 per cent needed neuro and ortho rehabilitation, said its managing trustee Mujtaba Hasan Askari.