Coronavirus is a 'multi-organ killer' and some survivors 'may never recover'

Coronavirus is a multi-organ killer and some survivors may never fully recover as the long-term health effects could be far worse than thought, say doctors and researchers.

Former patients in Italy, including people who suffered a mild infection, have gone on to suffer "chronic damage" with conditions such as psychosis, insomnia, kidney disease, spinal infections, strokes, chronic tiredness and mobility issues.

Separate studies have found that Covid-19 can cause major and permanent damage to the heart and lungs.

Doctors and researchers in Lombardy, one of the worst-hit regions in the world and the epicentre of Italy's outbreak, told Sky News that the virus is a systemic infection that affects all organs and is not, as once thought, just a respiratory disease.

They say former patients have been unable to do physical activity, return to work or even concentrate while suffering the long-term effects of Covid-19.

All age groups are vulnerable and everyone should take precautions to stay safe, including social distancing, hand washing and the wearing of face coverings, the experts warned.

Dr Roberto Cosentini, head of emergencies at Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital in Bergamo, told Sky News: 

At first, initially, we thought it was a bad flu, then we thought it was a bad flu with a very bad pneumonia, it was the phase when you came here, but subsequently we discovered that it is a systemic illness with vessel damage in the whole body with renal involvement, cerebral involvement.

So we are seeing other acute manifestations of renal failure that require dialysis; or stroke, and then acute myocardial infarction, so a lot of complications or other manifestations of the virus.

And also now we see a significant proportion of the population with chronic damage from the virus.