Australians who experience only mild symptoms of COVID-19 are just as likely to be severely affected by COVID-19 as those who suffer more severely.
A new pandemic threat adaptation study (ADAPT) aims at brain fog and continuous memory loss in long-term patients with no improved COVID even after one year.
The finding comes as the number of coronavirus-related deaths in Australia continues to rise, with more than 100 fatalities reported this weekend, including 14 in WA.
More than 45,000 new infections have also been reported since Thursday.
There are currently more than 212,000 active cases of COVID-19 nationwide, with more than 2,800 patients in hospital care.
Earlier this week, the federal government approved an additional $ 760 million to help states and territories fight the virus.
Meanwhile, the ADAPT study found that nine out of 10 COVID patients had not been taken to hospital when they contracted the virus.
The researchers said there was a “common misconception” that only people who had felt the full force of the virus developed COVID for a long time.
Bruce Brew of St Vincent’s Hospital says it may take another year to see an improvement in long-term patients with COVID.
“The long-term impact of COVID on some is significant,” Professor Brew said.
“I had a patient, an entrepreneur who had to sell his business because he could no longer focus on contracts and negotiations during meetings.”
Steven Faux, who runs the long-running COVID clinic in St Vincent’s, is seeing up to 10 new patients each week.
“What we’re finding is that it’s actually affecting younger people and it’s very difficult for them to keep working,” Professor Faux said.
“We are seeing people with slow thought processes and confusion that is very similar to a traumatic brain injury.”
LATEST DETAILS OF COVID-19 THE 24 HOURS:
NSW: 6348 cases, seven dead, 1406 in hospital, 50 in ICU
Victory: 5472 cases, 19 dead, 422 in hospital, 27 in ICU
ACT: 809 cases, no deaths, 90 in hospital, two in ICU
Queensland: 2959 cases, no deaths, 444 in hospital, seven in ICU
WA: 3896 cases, 14 dead, 280 in hospital, 14 in ICU