‘Long Covid’ lingers on in recovered patients

HYDERABAD: Nearly 10 per cent of Covid-19 patients who were previously hospitalised are returning to hospitals with symptoms of ‘long Covid’, say doctors in Hyderabad.

Most of them are exhibiting breathlessness, chest pain and cough-like symptoms, causing them to get admitted again.

“We can’t say what the disease is exactly, but most patients are admitted based on symptoms like cough, fever, breathlessness, chest pain, etc. In some cases, there’s varying degrees of fibrosis as well,” explained Dr Mahmood, superintendent of Chest Hospital in Erragadda.

These second-time patients typically end up in hospital care for 7-10 days before a proper treatment protocol is charted out for them based on laboratory investigations and CT scans. Doctors from Yashoda Hospitals said that in addition to patients with breathing issues, palpitations and chest tightness, they have also been treating a few with nausea, vomiting and abdominal pains.

“As per our assessment, those who were affected with severe Covid-19 pneumonia and required a prolonged stay in the ICU are more likely to return with post-Covid symptoms. The best option for them is symptomatic treatment using pain killers for body pains, physical rehab and breathing exercises,” said Dr Viswesvaran Balasubramanian, Yashoda Hospitals.

Who’s more likely to have long Covid?

• Patients who were affected with severe Covid pneumonia and required a prolonged stay in the ICU are more likely to return with post-Covid symptoms, say Yashoda Hospital doctors 

• Owing to the rising number of long Covid cases, the general medicine OP of Osmania General Hospital has now launched a daily session for such patients

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