23% of COVID-19 Patients in the US Develop New Diseases After Infection

Neuralgia, Sleep Disorders, Depression, etc.
Affecting All Age Groups... Including Asymptomatic Individuals

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] One in four people who tested positive for COVID-19 in the United States sought medical care for new illnesses they had not previously experienced after infection.

According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 15th (local time), FAIR Health, a U.S. nonprofit organization, analyzed the private health insurance records of about 2 million patients and found that 23% received treatment for new illnesses starting one month after infection.

This study tracked 1,959,982 patients who had COVID-19 in the U.S. from February to December last year, following them until February this year.

The most common symptoms were neuralgia, myalgia, shortness of breath, hypercholesterolemia, fatigue, and hypertension. Other conditions such as gastrointestinal diseases, headaches, skin disorders, heart defects, sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression were also identified.

This phenomenon was observed across all age groups, including children. Among patients hospitalized due to COVID-19, nearly half experienced new illnesses, while 27% of mild cases did. Even 19% of asymptomatic individuals showed such symptoms. More than half of the patients showed no symptoms after recovery.

Robin Gelburd, CEO of FAIR Health, emphasized that even asymptomatic individuals can suffer from post-COVID-19 complications. Gelburd stated, "Some people did not even know they were infected with COVID-19," and added, "If you experience illnesses you did not usually have, it is advisable to visit a hospital."