Similar to Covid-19, a flu infection can also have serious long-term consequences for hospital patients, researchers say. — dpa
Even after the Covid-19 pandemic subsided, millions of long Covid patients have continued to suffer from exhaustion and trouble concentrating.
American scientists now say “long flus” also exist, pointing to potential severe long-term effects in influenza patients, as observed in a new study published in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
For the study, the researchers monitored and compared data from 81,280 patients hospitalised due to Covid-19 or influenza over a period of 18 months.
Both viral diseases carry an increased risk of lingering severe health issues after the acute phase (up to 30 days after infection), found the group led by clinical epidemiologist Dr Ziyad al-Aly from the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, United States.
However, the risk of enduring long-term symptoms was, on average, found to be higher following a coronavirus infection than after influenza.
“Although rates of death and adverse health outcomes following hospital admission for either seasonal influenza or Covid-19 are high, this comparative analysis shows that hospital admission for Covid-19 was associated with higher long-term risks of death and adverse health outcomes in nearly every organ system (except for the pulmonary system),” the researchers wrote.
The study did not focus on how often cases of long Covid or long flu occur in hospital patients.
“The study illustrates the high toll of death and loss of health following hospitalisation with either Covid-19 or seasonal influenza,” senior author Dr al-Aly was quoted as saying in a press release.
“It’s critical to note that the health risks were higher after the first 30 days of infection.
“Many people think they’re over Covid-19 or the flu after being discharged from the hospital.
“That may be true for some people.
“But our research shows that both viruses can cause long-haul illness,” he said.
“The idea that Covid-19 or flu are just acute illnesses overlooks their larger long-term effects on human health.” – dpa
