76% of Covid patients reported at least 1 ongoing symptom: Lancet

Beijing, Jan 9 : A new study has found that more than three-quarters of Covid-19 patients have at least one ongoing symptom six months after initially becoming unwell.
The study, published in the prestigious journal The Lancet, reveals that 76 per cent of patients reported at least one ongoing symptom.
Fatigue or muscle weakness was reported by 63 per cent, while 26 per cent had sleep difficulties and 23 per cent experienced anxiety or depression, the Wuhan-based study indicated.
“Our analysis indicates that most patients continue to live with at least some of the effects of the virus after leaving the hospital, and highlights a need for post-discharge care, particularly for those who experience severe infections,” said Bin Cao, Professor at the Capital Medical University in Beijing, China.
For the study, the team involved 1,733 Covid-19 patients who had a median age of 57 years. Follow-up visits were done and the median follow-up time was 186 days.
All patients were interviewed face-to-face using questionnaires to evaluate their symptoms and health-related quality of life. They also underwent physical examinations, lab tests, and a six-minute walking test to gauge patients’ endurance levels.