Long-term toll of Covid-19

MEDIA mogul Shona Ferguson’s death has shocked the nation but also sparked a conversation on the longterm effects of Covid-19.

After Ferguson Films released a statement over the weekend that Shona had died of Covid-19-related complications on Friday.

Some social media users who had been affected by Covid-19 months after they had tested negative spoke out.

Politician Mbali Ntuli said: “Last year, I had a very bad case of Covid. It affected my heart. Went for a check-up this week and the doctor says my heart has gotten worse as an after-effect of Covid and may require a pacemaker. Going to see another specialist for more tests, but I have to say I’m quite numb,” she tweeted.

Many people responded by sharing how Covid-19 left them with similar effects.

“Had a defibrillator implanted in June after Covid messed up my heart in January. I battle with a 19% ejection fraction as a result,” one responded.

Another said: “I had Covid last year and I had a heart attack. I no longer sweat the way I used to and I always having abdominal pains but when I go to the doctors, they see nothing.”

Covid-19 has many potential secondary conditions directly resulting from the infection. One that may affect the heart is myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle.