The novel coronavirus outbreak continues across the globe. Scientists and doctors across the world are learning more about the disease and the damage it can cause to the body. However, very few people know about the specific organs in the human body that get affected by COVID-19.
The lungs are most vulnerable to COVID-19
For most patients, COVID-19 starts and concludes in their lungs. This is because just like the flu, coronaviruses are mainly respiratory diseases.
Source: WHO
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, it is viable for the virus to survive on copper for up to four hours, and on plastic and steel for up to 72 hours. Whereas, it’s stability on the cardboard is pretty nifty. As it can stay on it for a time frame of 24 hours.
The virus typically spreads when an infected individual sneezes or coughs. This results in spraying of droplets that could transmit the virus to anyone in direct contact.
Source: Medscape
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the COVID-19 usually attacks the lungs in three phases: viral replication, immune hyper-reactivity, and pulmonary destruction. However, not all patients have gone through all three phases. In fact, only 25 percent of SARS patients have suffered respiratory failure.
The link between COVID-19 and heart
It is not the lungs that are mainly attacked by the novel coronavirus. The doctors have also reported cases of other organs within the body affected by the novel coronavirus. One of those organs includes the heart.
Source: Livescience. com
According to a study published in JAMA Cardiology on March 27, More than 1 in 5 patients develop heart damage due to COVID-19 in Wuhan, China. Cardiologists have stated that this could be due to several reasons. The heart could struggle to pump blood in the body due to the absence of oxygen supply. As a result, the virus could directly invade heart cells in its attempt to eliminate the virus.
Collateral damage to kidneys
Apart from the heart, the Kidney is also vulnerable to COVID-19. According to a 2005 study in Kidney International, six percent of SARS patients and a quarter of MERS patients suffered kidney damage. Many studies have shown that the novel coronavirus could have a similar impact. This could be an uncommon feature of the disease but it is certainly a fatal one.
Source: Scitechdaily
According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is the kidney tubules that are most affected by the coronavirus. This was also evident in the SARS outbreak in 2004 when kidney tubules of some of the patients became inflamed.
The whole point of explaining different researches on COVID-19 is to emphasize the damage that could be caused due to the virus. In particular, high-risk patients are more vulnerable to this virus. It is essential to not dismiss this as just another viral infection that will pass. It is also pivotal to take all the precautions outlined by the WHO and CDC. However, the good news is coronavirus recovery rate is better in many countries and Pakistan is one of them.
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