RAK Hospital: Fatigue and Brain Fog Among Covid-19 Long-Term Symptoms

According to doctors at RAK Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah, around a third of COVID-19 survivors continues to have long-term health problems such as insomnia, depression, and chronic fatigue.

These symptoms were recorded as part of the hospital’s online Covid rehabilitation programme.

Health problems such as confusion and short-term memory loss were reported by patients.

Meanwhile, 47.5 per cent of the complains were about Chronic fatigue with more than a third experiencing sleep problems.

Confusion or “brain fog” was reported by a quarter, while 32.5 per cent showed signs of depression.

In addition, one in five recovered patients reported loss of taste and smell.

“Since it’s a new disease and our understanding is still limited, we have learnt symptoms can continue for three to nine months and pose challenges for people,” said Dr Raza Siddiqui, executive director of RAK Hospital.

“Even though it is established that certain risk factors including high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, obesity and heart conditions make people more likely to suffer a serious bout of the infection, there isn’t a clear link between these risk factors and long-term issues faced by people.

“Long Covid may also present in people who may have had mild symptoms during the infectious phase.”

Some categories were found to be more at risk according to the Hospital researches in Ras Al Khaimah.

These categories include overweight people, smokers, those over 50, and anyone with existing heart problems or those who consume a lot of junk food.

Arise, the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies, revealed recent data which was also shared by a network of organisations led by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The data showed that diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, obesity and digestive ailments were often exacerbated by Covid-19 and uncontrolled for several months.

Image Credit: Unsplash, RAK Hospital online