COVID-19 cases continue to feel symptoms long-term

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-07-07 00:01

New Zealand

Photo by engin akyurt via Unsplash

A small study of people who had COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic in Wellington shows that they are nearly all still experiencing symptoms like anxiety, depression, pain, and difficulty breathing. Half of the 42 cases surveyed also felt that their overall health was worse than it was before being infected. The authors say their observational study can't prove a link between COVID-19 infection and ongoing symptoms, but with more than a third of Kiwis now having had COVID-19, it warrants further investigation.

News release

From: Pasifika Medical Association Group

This study looked at the presence of ongoing symptoms and abnormalities in blood samples in confirmed cases of COVID-19 from the first wave within the Greater Wellington Region. The questionnaires and blood samples were done at an average of 1.7 years after first onset of COVID19 symptoms. Just over half the participants felt that their current overall health was worse than it was prior to getting COVID-19. 90% of participants reported at least two ongoing symptoms since their first illness with COVID-19. There were minimal abnormalities in blood samples. This study shows that there is a wide variety of ongoing symptoms in participants, however a causal relationship between COVID-19 and these symptoms cannot be established.

Journal/
conference: NZMJ

Organisation/s: Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, National Public Health Service, NZ

Funder: This study was supported by Health Research Council of New Zealand Independent Research Organisation grant IRO [18/002].

Media Contact/s

Contact details are only visible to registered journalists.