Asymptomatic COVID-19 transition does not mean that the disease will not leave any traces in our body. These are complications related to fibrosis of the heart and lungs – warns Prof. Andrzej Fal, head of the Department of Allergology, Lung Diseases and Internal Diseases at the hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration.
«The absence of COVID-19 disease symptoms does not eliminate the medium-term complications, that is, after two, three, four months, complications, which are most likely chronic conditions that can slowly lead to a person’s disability. Perhaps not in a year, but after three or five years »- he noted.
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He calculated that these are the most common problems related to fibrosis of the heart muscle and lungs. «These are fibrosis, for example, of the lungs after a cytokine storm. We also observe it in patients in our hospital. We do not know yet whether these changes are permanent and progressive or temporary, »he explained.
He also added that it is difficult to draw far-reaching conclusions at the moment, because COVID-19 is a new disease and completely unexplored, primarily without the possibility of assessing the long-term impact on the body.
On the other hand, when asked about the current situation in the Warsaw Ministry of Interior and Administration hospital, which has been one of the 16 coordinating hospitals since Friday, and since March 15 practically unnamed, he calculated that 160 patients with coronavirus are currently hospitalized there, 18 of which are in intensive care .
In total, according to the decision of the voivode, 404 hospital beds and 42 ventilator places for patients with COVID-19 are available at this facility.
The expert also presented the age structure of coronavirus patients and how it changed during the epidemic.
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«In the first two or three months, most of our patients were over 70 years old. They were often patients of social care homes or care and treatment facilities. Then, during the summer, these patients were generally scarce. Rather, young people were targeted, because the infections occurred during trips, in swimming pools, etc. At the moment, for 2-3 weeks, we have a full age profile of patients. From 30 to 101 years, but with the majority of patients 65 plus and with multiple diseases »- he explained.
He admitted, however, that it is not the case that a 2-year-old person is now rare among people hospitalized due to SARS-CoV-XNUMX infection.
“Middle-aged people account for about 20 percent.” – he summed up.
Author: Klaudia Torchała
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