A study has suggested that people who catch Covid are at much greater risk of dying for at least 18 months after being infected.
Professor Ian Wong, of the University of Hong Kong, author of this particular study said: “Covid-19 patients were more likely to develop numerous cardiovascular conditions compared to uninfected participants, which may have contributed to their higher risks of death. More than 7,500 British patients with Covid-19 infection diagnosed from March 16, 2020, to November 30, 2020, were identified.
In all three groups, the average age was 66 and there were nearly equal numbers of men and women. Prof Wong said: “The historical control cohort was included to rule out the effect of routine healthcare services being reduced or cancelled during the pandemic, which led to worsening health and increased mortality even in uninfected people.”
Compared with the two uninfected groups, patients with Covid-19 were around four times more likely to develop major cardiovascular disease in the acute phase and 40 per cent more likely in the post-acute phase. There were also some cardiovascular issues – for example stroke and irregular heartbeat – were elevated in Covid patients in the short-term, but then returned to normal levels.