After-effects show up post recovery

BENGALURU: Just a week after it was started, the Post-Covid Care and Rehabilitation Centre at Ramaiah Memorial Hospital has seen over 50 patients, who have reported adverse side-effects after recovering from Covid-19.Fatigue, breathlessness, muscular pains and cardiac and lung issues are some of the issues seen in these patients, most of whom had recovered over a month ago. Of the 50 patients who visited the outpatient department of the clinic, five needed admission, while others were prescribed standard treatment.

Dr Vijayashree Thyagaraj, Professor of Medicine and Lead Physician at the Post-Covid Care and Rehabilitation Centre, said, “The five patients who were admitted were in the 40-50 age group. One had congestive cardiac failure, another paralysis, and the other pulmonary fibrosis. Two others suffered from breathing difficulty. Most of the patients had comorbidities, but one, even without a cormorbidity, had health complications that could only be due to Covid. These patients were given standard treatment.”

Dr Naresh Shetty, president of Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, said that a detailed investigation is done on each patient. “It helps us understand if these problems are due to Covid. The behaviour of Covid is changing and we need to keep a watch.”St John’s Medical College too has started a similar post-Covid care centre. But, Dr Sanjiv Lewin, Chief of Medical Services at the hospital, said that the numbers are still less as people are not aware of the centre.

“The clinic is run by the Physical and Medical Rehabilitation Department, and they work with cardiology, general medicine and chest medicine physicians. It has been running for 10 days, but numbers are yet to pick up. We are calling patients for checkups,” he said.“Most cases have exercise intolerance and myalgias which are aches and joint pains and inadequate lung function. Those who have gone through ventilation are showing critical care syndrome. The time frame of patients reporting these symptoms range from two weeks to three months,” he added.