8.6% Of COVID-19 Survivors In Africa Still Grapple With Symptoms – Researchers

Almost half of COVID-19 survivors in African nations are coping with at least one persistent symptom, which is affecting their quality of life and making it more difficult for them to work, researchers have disclosed. 

Researchers pooled results from 25 studies across African nations, involving 29,213 participants, and discovered a 48.6 per cent incidence of Long COVID symptoms.

Findings of the study revealed that symptoms were more common in older patients and those who had been hospitalized. 

Fatigue emerged as the most common, affecting 35.4 per cent of participants, potentially leading to productivity issues and economic setbacks. Mental health concerns, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety, were observed in up to 25 per cent of patients. 

Cognitive impairment, difficulty concentrating, and headaches affected 10 to 15 per cent of participants, while 18 per cent of them reported shortness of breath and 11 per cent experienced heart palpitations.  

According to Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Long COVID is broadly defined as signs, symptoms, and conditions that continue or develop after acute COVID-19 infection.

“People with Long COVID can have a wide range of symptoms that can last weeks, months, or even years after infection. Sometimes the symptoms can even go away and come back again. For some people, Long COVID can last weeks, months, or years after COVID-19 illness and can sometimes result in disability. Long COVID may not affect everyone the same way. People with Long COVID may experience health problems from different types and combinations of symptoms that may emerge, persist, resolve, and reemerge over different lengths of time,” CDC further explained. 

Though most patients’ symptoms slowly improve with time, the Agency advised that one should speak with healthcare provider about the symptoms he is experiencing after having COVID-19, which could help determine if he might have Long COVID.

It listed the symptoms as tiredness or fatigue that interferes with daily life, symptoms that get worse after physical or mental effort, fever, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, cough, chest pain and heart palpitations.

Other symptoms are brain fog, headache, sleep problems, lightheadedness, pins-and-needles feelings, change in smell or taste, depression or anxiety, diarrhea, stomach pain, joint or muscle pain, rash and changes in menstrual cycles.