One in five COVID-19 patients develop mental illness within 90 days - study

FILE PHOTO: A man walks in front of the buildings of Oxford University, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Oxford, Britain, October 6, 2020. REUTERS/Matthew Childs/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) - Many COVID-19 survivors are likely to be at greater risk of developing mental illness, psychiatrists said on Monday, after a large study found 20% of those infected with the coronavirus are diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder within 90 days.

Anxiety, depression and insomnia were most common among recovered COVID-19 patients in the study who developed mental health problems, and the researchers also found significantly higher risks of dementia, a brain impairment condition.