SYDNEY, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- A study of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Australia has found that within six months after having seemingly recovered, one in five had died and more than 70 percent suffered ongoing symptoms or developed new disabilities.

The study, published in Critical Care on Tuesday, was based on 212 former ICU patients from 30 hospitals, who are in a median age of 61, during the first outbreak of the pandemic last year.

The researchers measured such factors as the patients' mortality rates, diagnosis of new disabilities, and their ability to return to work.

Research leader Professor Carol Hodgson from Monash University said that 71.3 percent of the patients reported persistent symptoms including shortness of breath, low strength, fatigue, headaches, and loss of smell and taste.

About a third had cognitive impairment, while about 20 percent reported either increased anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

More than one in 10 were unemployed due to their ongoing poor health.

The researchers said their findings highlight the need for continued support for sufferers of "long COVID-19", especially those who had been in intensive care units (ICUs).

Hodgson said these critically ill survivors of COVID-19 should be linked to general practitioners quickly, and the general practitioners should be educated that these patients need to be screened for new disabilities.

"If somebody is having a problem with their mobility and ability to walk and stand and their strength, then they might need a referral to physiotherapy."

"Some have problems with their swallowing and their diet, so they might need a speech therapist or a dietician."

Hodgson said the study revealed that the long-term impact of COVID-19 was "something that's going to be affecting a lot more people than we realize."

"It's really not just the patients who are suffering," she said, "It will also affect the family members who are trying to support them." Enditem

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