1 in 10 recovered patients showed long-term Covid symptoms in Singapore: study

Singapore:

A study led by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NCID) found that 1 in 10 COVID-19 patients recovered in Singapore persisted 6 months after the initial infection.

This condition, known as “long COVID,” continued to experience symptoms, most commonly prolonged coughing and shortness of breath, long after recovery from COVID-19. Other symptoms included persistent fatigue, dizziness, and insomnia, which were not frequently observed, The Straits Times reported on Saturday and focused on COVID-19 treatment. I quoted a study by the top infectious disease groups in Japan.

More importantly, the study also found elevated inflammatory markers, regardless of whether the person was in a serious or mild case. These proteins in the blood are associated with conditions that affect the circulatory system and are risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Singapore is a serious social concern, and if it spreads, it is likely to put a strain on society and the economy over the next few years, Singapore quoted an expert who had previously spoken about this issue daily.

It increases the number of hidden pandemics, and the long-term non-optimal health conditions indicate a significant need for people to avoid infection in the first place.

Three other public hospitals were involved in the NCID-led study. Patients usually participate in the study during the first week of illness and are monitored for 6 months.

A total of 288 patients were hired, of whom 183 returned for outpatient follow-up.

The study began in mid-January 2020, shortly after the first case was detected in Singapore, to study the long-term effects of COVID-19 up to 2 years after infection, and how protective immunity from infection is. The purpose is to understand what is done in Singapore. It evolves over time.

Dr. Burnaby Young, an NCID consultant involved in the study, said, “From a case inherited from acute COVID-19, the lungs are the major organ affected, but the virus actually caused widespread damage. I understand. “

This included damage to the lining of the heart and small blood vessels.

In some individuals, the Sars-CoV-2 virus damages blood vessels, especially small blood vessels that are present in all parts of the body, causing blood supply interruptions and bleeding, Dr. Young said.

He said much is still unknown about the long COVID.

Symptomatology of long COVID is widespread, nonspecific, and of varying duration, although the underlying mechanism is unknown. International organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) are also actively collecting a lot of information.

According to a report by The Straits Times, NCID is undertaking another study of whether COVID-19 has long-term inflammatory effects.

Sylvia Sim, 58, a recovered COVID-19 patient, said it took about a year to fully regain her sense of smell. She was virus positive on April 6th last year and was discharged on April 25th.

“When I was first diagnosed, I had a fever and lost my sense of smell and taste. My sense of taste returned after only 6 months and my sense of smell returned after a year. To date, I sometimes smell. I can’t, “says Sim, who is quoted daily.

The Sim’s condition will fit under a long COVID, Dr. Young said.

“Some aspects of long COVID are associated with” post-viral syndrome “with long-term fatigue, dizziness, and other symptoms. Loss of taste and smell can be subdued as well, “he said.

Other complications, such as blood clots, can also be considered part of a long COVID, Dr. Young added.

“These different symptoms are probably all related to each other, but can be caused by different combinations of chronic inflammation, certain aspects of the immune response to infection, or perhaps residual viral fragments.”

Studies elsewhere have also shown a pandemic. ”, The debilitating effect from long COVID.

Almost a quarter of them have new conditions such as nerve and muscle pain and high cholesterol, according to a June survey that tracked health insurance records for about two million people in the United States who were infected with the coronavirus last year. I was looking for treatment. , High blood pressure and malaise.

Meanwhile, Singapore reported six cases of COVID-19 imports on Saturday, but none were infected locally, the Ministry of Health said.

It was the first time since April 25 that no new cases of local infection were reported here.

The six were already listed in the Stay-at-home Order (SHN) or were quarantined upon arrival in Singapore.

In Singapore, 36 people died from complications of COVID-19, while 15 people who tested positive died from other causes. Singapore has recorded 62,684 cases so far.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from the Syndicate Feed.)