What is ‘long Covid’? From shortness of breath to fatigue and memory loss, Hongkongers share mystery tales of post-illness symptoms
- Medical experts are still unclear what causes strange conditions and why only some patients experience them, but urge the setting up of a support system
- The less than 5 per cent of recovered Covid-19 patients in the city reporting such symptoms contrasts with about 30 to 40 per cent in some Western countries
Covid-19 patient Isaac Chow Ka-chun thought his battle with the disease was over when he was discharged from hospital seven months ago. But he soon discovered he was short of breath after five-minute walks.
“I gradually felt there was something wrong after I left hospital,” Chow said. “I could only walk very slowly … and had to catch my breath after just a few steps.”
He also experienced strong pounding heart beats even when not engaging in any strenuous activity.
“My heart was beating so strongly that I woke up from my sleep,” he said, coughing intermittently in an interview with the Post.
Chow is among a number of Covid-19 patients in Hong Kong experiencing the long-term effects of the coronavirus, defined by overseas health authorities as problems emerging four or more weeks after first being infected. The conditions can last for at least two months.
