THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As Covid-19 spread remains unabated in the state, neurologists have warned of complications like ‘brain fog’, delirium and multisystemic effects even to the central nervous system.
Their alert comes close on the heels of emerging evidence of neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders among those fighting the infection and those who have recovered from it. At the same time, public health experts say as it is suspected that people are suffering from ‘pandemic fatigue’, a robust campaign is needed to address the same, otherwise, it may severely affect ongoing pandemic management and control measures.
“There is growing evidence on various neurological manifestations among Covid patients and those who have recovered from it,” said Dr Sanjeev Thomas, senior professor of neurology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram.
“The literature that came out in this regard shows that other than respiratory and cardiac complications, Covid patients and those who have recovered will have to face neurological manifestations. Also, some patients who arrived at SCTIMST with neurological disorders like stroke and Guillain-Barre syndrome (a rare disorder in which one’s immune system attacks one’s nerves) had a history of Covid,” he added.
Another neurologist at a government medical college hospital said Covid patients having neurological symptoms like headache, dizziness, reduced sense of taste and others, and complications including encephalopathy (damage or disease that affects the brain), acute cerebrovascular diseases, impaired consciousness and skeletal muscular injury are being treated.
Said the neurologist, “There are also conditions like the mystery ‘brain fog’ or ‘Covid fog’ like memory loss, lack of concentration, dizziness and others. Such cases were reported in Bengaluru and similar cases are in the state as well. But more research and documentation are needed to understand the same.” Public health experts also warn that the state health department should devise a new strategy to address the ‘pandemic fatigue’, which is now prevalent across the globe.
“The pandemic is in its ninth month. How and when this viral spread will be brought under control still remain an enigma. Such a thought is not confined to the state but across the world. This has resulted in instances of public weariness and people tending to risk the dangers posed by the infection. It is this exhaustion and frustration that agencies like WHO calls as pandemic fatigue. This needs to be addressed,” said a member of the state expert committee for Covid-19. According to the member, instead of tiredness and complacency, the public as well as the agencies concerned should come up with ways to fight the virus in a smarter way.
Complications manifested in patients
A neurologist said Covid patients having neurological symptoms like headache, dizziness, reduced sense of taste and others, and complications including encephalopathy (damage or disease that affects the brain), acute cerebrovascular diseases, impaired consciousness and skeletal muscular injury are being treated.