MOH Study: 66% Of Severe Covid-19 Cases Suffer ‘Long Covid’

66% of 1,004 Covid-19 patients in stages four and five experience symptoms for up to three months or longer after infection, like fatigue, breathing difficulties during activity, insomnia, cough, and anxiety.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 — Two-thirds of Covid-19 patients in stages four and five face “long Covid” with symptoms persisting up to 12 weeks or more after infection, a Ministry of Health (MOH) study found.

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the research of 1,004 Covid-19 patients with severe disease in Malaysia, who had received follow-up treatment, found that the 66 per cent who had long Covid suffered five common symptoms: fatigue, breathing difficulties during activity (exertional dyspnea), insomnia, cough, and anxiety.

“To date, treatment offered is symptomatic relief and based on the involved body organs,” Dr Noor Hisham said today, without revealing when the MOH study was conducted.

“Therefore, Covid-19 patients who are discharged from hospital will be given follow-up appointments and they are reminded to attend their appointments based on the set dates. For former Covid-19 patients who still have symptoms, they are advised to seek medical advice or treatment at the nearest clinic or hospital.”

According to the Health DG, long Covid includes psychological, neurological, ear/ nose/ throat, respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, dermatological, and musculoskeletal symptoms from infection with the respiratory virus.

As of today, MOH has officially reported 646,411 cumulative Covid-19 cases in Malaysia, including 6,849 new infections today. Eighty-four new fatalities were recorded today, pushing the cumulative deaths from coronavirus to 3,768.

Of the 646,411 total cases, 563,779 have recovered from acute infection. It is unknown how many of the recoveries had suffered from stages four and five of Covid-19 disease.

The latest surge of the epidemic has shown a greater proportion of Covid-19 cases deteriorating rapidly in hospitals, according to anecdotes from health care workers.

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