The severity of virus associated illnesses range person to person:
- 7.7% of COVID-19 patients in Canada end up in the hospital for treatment:
- 20.2% of these patients required intensive care
- 4.5% of all COVID-19 patients in intensive care required ventilators to sustain their respiratory capacity
- Elderly individuals aged 70 or older are more likely to die from the virus if it is contracted:
- 71% of all COVID-19 patients aged 80 or older have passed away
- 18.4% of all COVID-19 patients aged 70 – 79 have passed away
A serious concern regarding the contraction of SARS-CoV-2 is Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). When the virus enters the body and moves through the upper airway, it can attach to the alveoli that are responsible for gas exchange and damage the lungs. This can cause difficulty breathing, confusion, dizziness, and a rapid heart rate, with most symptoms occurring due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. Progressive damage will cause excess fluid buildup in the lungs and activate the inflammatory response, exacerbating the symptoms of ARDS and COVID-19.
ARDS can be very severe, with the mortality rate ranging from 40 to 50%. Patients experiencing ARDS are ventilated and treated with diuretics to prevent fluid accumulation, however even certain ventilation practices can worsen the damage on the lungs. This complication highlights the importance of treating ARDS on a case-to-case basis.
The recovery time from the virus differs between each person; some people need only 2 weeks to make a full recovery, while others may take over 4 weeks. Viral infection with COVID-19 can have many lasting effects on the body:
- Fatigue and shortness of breath
- A lingering cough
- Joint or chest pain
- Muscle pain and headaches
- Increased heart rate or palpitations
- Organ damage to heart, lungs, or brain
- Blood clots and blood vessel problems
This list is not exhaustive due to the novelty of the virus, and patients may experience one or several of these complications at once. It is likely that, with continued research, a more complete list of chronic health effects will be available in the near future.
