Recovered Covid patients who develop dementia urged to get help
SENIOR Thai doctors urged people who after having recovered from coronavirus started developing signs of dementia with this affecting their daily life to seek advice and be examined by a doctor, Amarin TV said today (Feb. 2).
Dr. Somsak Ankasil, the head of the Public Health Ministry's Medical Services Department, said some patients have developed dementia symptoms within one to six months of contracting Covid-19.
This is a condition whereby the brain function deteriorates affecting decision making, planning and short-term memory skills. Symptoms including brain fog, feeling lightheaded and unable to concentrate on any one thing with this affecting their daily and social activities and can lead to long-term impairment.
Dr. Thanin Wetchapinan, head of the Institute of Neurology, said the risk factor is that these patients already had pre-existing neurological and brain diseases such as having suffered a stroke.
Particularly at risk are the elderly with other ailments as when they are suddenly hit with severe Covid symptoms the lack of oxygen leads to anxiety and depression setting in plus neurological disorders and dementia.
These symptoms can improve on their own over time if patients take good care of themselves by eating healthy and nutritious food, exercising regularly, taking up activities that stimulate the brain, practice critical thinking, meditate and have relaxing hobbies.
Earlier the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said there were 8,587 Covid cases and 22 deaths today with this taking the cumulative confirmed total since the start of the pandemic to 2,456,551 .
Of the new batch of cases 8,347 were domestic while 131 foreign arrivals tested positive.
Another 8,485 patients recovered taking total recoveries since the start of the pandemic to 2,351,250 while 83,094 are still undergoing treatment.
The additional 22 fatalities raised the death toll to 22,207.
Altogether 115,531,164 doses of vaccines have been administered so far.
Meanwhile the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said this afternoon that there were 1,431 Covid cases in the capital today with 1,135 being Bangkok residents and 296 having come here for treatment from other provinces. Five cases are still being investigated.
Bangkok's Covid case total since Jan. 1 is 30,149 and today's six fatalities raised the death toll from the start of the new year to 62.
The top 10 districts with the most cases today are as follows:
1) Chomthong, 122;
2) Khlong Sam Wa, 89;
3) Sai Mai, 58;
4) Bangkok Noi, 48;
5) Minburi, 47;
6) Bang Khen, 34;
7) Bang Kho Laem, 32;
8) Bang Sue, 32;
9) Prawet, 31;
10) Lat Krabang, 29.
