DURBAN – Doctors in the United States of America (USA) have noticed a new symptom of Covid-19 in patients between the ages of 30 and 50 years old. These patients have been experiencing strokes and had tested positive for Covid-19 with little or no symptoms.
Doctors noticed that the Covid-19 virus is able to cause blood clots to form which results in a stroke.
The Covid-19 virus and a stroke are a fatal combination if patients do not get the proper care in less than 24 hours. The disruption of blood flow to the brain, due to the stroke, causes brain cells to die. The longer the blockage is there, the wider the area of brain cells that are starved of oxygen.
A neurosurgeon from Mount Sinai Health System in New York, Dr Thomas Oxely told CNN, "The virus seems to be causing increased clotting in the large arteries leading to severe stroke".
"Our report shows a seven-fold increase in incidents of a sudden stroke in young patients during the past two weeks. Most of these patients have no past medical history and were at home with either mild or no symptoms of Covid-19," he added.
Oxley said at least one patient has died so far while others are in rehabilitation facilities or have opted to be rehabilitated at home.
CORONAVIRUS MONITOR