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Long COVID could be longer and worse, claims study
in children and can lead to complications like dehydration, which can be serious if not managed promptly.
To date, the source of the alarming outbreak has not yet been identified. In a statement last week Thursday, the ministry revealed the total number of reported that diarrhoea cases around the Mahalapye area stood at 592, Bobirwa 511, Gaborone 485 cases, Boteti 435, Ngami 250, Kweneng East 232, Francistown 205, Selebi-Phikwe 221, Tonota 193 and Chobe 68 cases. This indicates a widespread outbreak. This has resulted in a total of eleven (11) deaths and the numbers are rising. By Monday this week however, the ministry was still compiling latest statistics. The most common cause of diarrhoea is viral infection such as rotavirus.
According to a recent study, the effects of
COVID or post-COVID condiFAtCiEoDns (PCC) are more severe than previously
In a recent study, a team of exPRESENT?perts from the United States estimated that
nansd of millions of people around the world experience the signs and symptoms of longterm COVID.
The World Health Organization(WHO) says, PCC is characterized by the onset or persistence of COVID symptoms three months following a Sars-CoV-2 infection, with symptoms lasting at least two months and not being accounted for by any other diagnosis. Common symptoms include exhaustion, breathlessness, and cognitive impairment. These symptoms can alter or return over time.
The study was carried out by two researchers from the Patient-Led Research Collaborative and two others from La Jolla, California’s Scripps Research Translational Institute. It concluded that there is a hike in the number of long COVID cases. Even three months later, at least one of the 3 primary long COVID symptoms was present among the COVID infected patients.
They concluded that 65 million patients, or 10% of the 651 million confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide, have long COVID. They cited additional research that claimed 10 to 30% of non-hospitalized coronavirus cases would experience long term COVID. For hospitalized cases, the rate rose to 50% to 70%.
Fatigue, shortness of breath, and cognitive dysfunction are common symptoms of long COVID, and they may change or recur over time. Headache, sleep issues, difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly (often referred to as “brain fog”), and feeling lightheaded when you stand up are other long term symptoms one may experience even after COVID recovery.
The authors of the study claimed that additional thorough research, public awareness campaigns, policies, and financial support were required to provide an adequate response to the protracted COVID epidemic.
The authors declared, “We need research that expands on the body of knowledge and takes into account patient experience, training, and education for the workforce in healthcare and research.