Singapore, July 10

One in 10 recovered Covid-19 patients in Singapore had persistent symptoms six months after their initial infection, a study led by the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) has found.

In this condition, known as “long Covid”, they continued to experience symptoms, most commonly a lingering cough and shortness of breath, long after recovering from Covid-19. Other symptoms included persistent fatigue, dizziness and insomnia, but these were not frequently observed, The Straits Times reported on Saturday, citing the study by the country’s top infectious disease body which is focusing on Covid-19 treatment. The study also found elevated inflammatory markers regardless of whether the person had a serious or mild case of the disease. These proteins in the blood have been associated with conditions affecting the circulatory system and are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Long Covid is a serious concern from a societal perspective and, if widespread, will likely put a strain on the society and economy for years to come, experts maintained.

Home Secretary reviews situation at tourist spots

Union Home Secy Ajay Bhalla on Saturday held a review meeting on steps taken to check the spread of infection at hill stations and tourist destinations. TNS

The study led by NCID involved three other public hospitals. Patients typically joined the study during their first week of illness and were monitored for six months. A total of 288 patients were recruited, and 183 of them returned for outpatient follow-ups. Dr Barnaby Young, a consultant at the NCID who was involved in the study, said, “We understand from cases that although the lungs are the major organs affected, the virus actually caused wider damage.” This included damage to the heart as well as the inner lining of small blood vessels, Young said. He noted that much was still unknown about long Covid. — PTI

Covaxin nod in 4-6 wks: WHO chief scientist

New Delhi: Days after Bharat Biotech and the ICMR shared their Phase 3 trial data for India-made Covaxin, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the emergency use listing for the Covid-19 jab could come in 4-6 weeks. WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said Covaxin was being reviewed as Bharat Biotech was now uploading its entire data on the health body’s portal. TNS

Lingering signs

• Cough | Shortness of breath | Fatigue | Dizziness | Insomnia
• 42,766 fresh cases
• TOTAL DEATHS 4,07,145
• ACTIVE CASES 4,55,033
• 1,206 deaths in 24 hours