MANILA, May 22 : “Long Covid-19,” which has beguiled both doctors and patients who have fully recovered from the severe respiratory disease in other countries, is now also afflicting Filipinos, a health expert has announced

“Doctors in our country’s hospitals are starting to see cases of long Covid,” Dr. Ted Herbosa, an adviser to the National Task Force against Covid-19, said at the Laging Handa briefing.

Herbosa did not provide further details but he said people with long Covid experience inflammation of the heart and suffer “brain fog.”

“We are monitoring and recording it. We will also register it and we will count and study it so that we will know the situation of long Covid in the Philippines,” he said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) earlier said people who contracted the virus could experience post-Covid-19 conditions, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, persistent cough, trouble speaking, muscle aches, loss of smell or taste, and fever.

In addition, they also could suffer from sleeping problems, cognitive dysfunction like confusion, forgetfulness, or a lack of mental focus and clarity, and even psychological effects like depression and anxiety, which affect their daily lives, the WHO said.

It was the first time that a Filipino health authority has confirmed long Covid among Filipinos, although in January this year, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega warned that 10 per cent to 15 per cent of Covid-19 patients might be afflicted.

Vega said that if an individual who recovered from Covid-19 still had health issues after 30 days, the person may have long COVID.

This post-Covid-19 condition entails mid- or long-term effects, which current evidence suggests, is experienced by around 10 percent to 20 percent of people who recover from Covid-19, according to the WHO.

The symptoms usually appear within three months from the onset of Covid-19, lasting for at least two months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis. These can come and go or relapse over time.

Herbosa urged the public to get vaccinated and have a booster shot, saying that the government has enough supply of vaccines.

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said about 40.6 million Filipinos who were already eligible for a booster shot have yet to get the jab.

The DOH is targeting to vaccinate 77 million Filipinos against Covid-19 by the end of June, or when President Duterte’s term expires.

 - ANN