KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 — Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah today said the Respiratory Medical Institute is conducting studies to find out the long-term side effects on Covid-19 patients who have recovered from stage four and five.

He said that the authorities will focus on the patients who needed ventilators during their treatment.

“We look into long term studies on the patients who have been given the ventilators. We will check if they develop any side effects in the next three or six months,” he told a press conference in Putrajaya.

Dr Noor Hisham said what is currently known is that the virus attacks the lungs and affects blood vessels, which causes blood flow in the body to slow and blood clots to develop.

“If the blood clot happens in the head, the patients will get a stroke, and if it happens in the heart, the patients will suffer a heart attack,” he said.

“Also in some patients, the blood clot happens in the intestines and kidney. This damaged the body parts,” he added. 

He said that another complication that has been observed in recovered patients is the weakened state of their immune systems.

“They might be exposed to other infections as well if their immune system is not strong.

“We have to make sure the recovered patients, especially those who were under category four and five, continue their follow-up treatment so that the ministry can monitor the situation,” he said. 

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/06/24/study-into-long-term-side-effects-of-covid-19-recovered-patients-underway-s/1878556