Written by – Hind Khalifa
The repercussions of the Corona virus vary from case to case according to the severity of the infection, and also according to the mutant that was infected. According to several studies, the new mutant Omicron causes less severe symptoms than the original Delta mutant of the virus.
Lung damage is one of the most serious repercussions caused by the Corona virus, according to what Dr. Mohamed Awad Taj El-Din, Advisor to the President of the Republic for Health Affairs, warned that lung fibrosis and infections are among the biggest repercussions of Corona for severe cases.
And Taj El-Din explained in a press conference, last Wednesday, that Corona is a disease that can affect the whole body, and its biggest repercussions are on the respiratory system.
He pointed out that Corona injuries in most people end with good results, as 85% of injuries are mild cases, and 15% are moderate and severe cases.
He explained that there are types of patients whose response to corona varies, pointing out that the current wave of corona is witnessing an increase in injuries, but the cases are not severe.
Taj El-Din pointed out that when the lung becomes infected with severe fibrosis, it contributes to high pressure in the pulmonary artery, stressing that 20% of severe cases end with lung fibrosis.
How does corona infection work in the body?
Corona virus infection begins in the nose or mouth and spreads in the throat, as mild infections do not reach further, but when the Corona virus reaches the lungs, it can cause serious damage.
And immune cells in the lungs can overreact to the virus, killing not only infected cells, but even uninfected ones.
infected. It can also cause rapid inflammation, which leads to scarring of the thin walls of the lung.
Omicron’s effect on the lungs
A body of evidence has revealed that omicron affects the throat more often than the lungs, which scientists believe may explain why it appears to be more contagious but less lethal than other mutant ones.
In studies of mice and hamsters, researchers found that Omicron causes less damage to the lungs than previous breeds, where the mutant damage is limited to the upper airways: the nose, throat and trachea, according to the New York Times.
Although the experimental animals experienced, on average, milder symptoms, the scientists were particularly surprised by the findings on the Syrian hamster, a species known to be very ill with all previous strains of the virus.
“This was surprising because all the other strains hit these hamsters so badly,” said Dr. Michael Diamond, a University of Washington virologist and one of the study’s authors.
Diamond and colleagues found that the level of omicron in hamster noses was the same as in animals previously infected with the Corona virus, but that omicron levels in the lungs were a tenth or less than the level of the other variables.
Many cells in the lung carry a protein on their surface called “TMPRSS2”, as this protein can inadvertently help pass viruses into the cell, but the virologist at “Cambridge University”, Ravindra Gupta, found with his team that this protein does not hold the Ommicron well. .
As a result, omicron does not infect lung cells as delta does, although there are more genetic mutations for this mutant than for Delta, which help the virus to stick to human cells.
In contrast, cells at the top of the airway tend not to carry a protein known as TMPRSS2, which explains the evidence for omicrons being more present in the nose and trachea than in the lungs.
Corona’s effect on the lungs
COVID-19 can cause a range of breathing problems, from mild to severe, and older adults and people with other health conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes may experience more serious symptoms, according to Webmd.
When the virus enters a person’s body, it comes into contact with the mucous membranes lining the nose, mouth and eyes, to enter a healthy cell and use the cell to make new virus parts, multiply, and new viruses infect neighboring cells.
The original coronavirus can infect the upper or lower part of the respiratory tract, traveling through the airways, and the lining can become inflamed and irritated, in some cases, reaching the alveoli.
Mild and medium cases
When the infection travels to the respiratory system, the immune system fights back, and the lungs and airways swell and become inflamed, this can start in one part of the lung and spread.
About 80% of people with corona have mild to moderate symptoms, and they may develop symptoms of a dry cough or sore throat, and some people also suffer from pneumonia, which is a lung infection in which the air sacs become inflamed.
severe cases
And regarding 14% of cases of severe corona, accompanied by infection affecting both lungs, as swelling worsens, the lungs fill with fluid and debris.
The person may have more serious pneumonia. The air sacs fill with mucus, fluid, and other cells trying to fight infection. This can make it difficult for the body to absorb oxygen. They may also have difficulty breathing and feel short of breath. They may also breathe faster.
-critical cases
In the critical case of corona – regarding 5% of all cases, the infection can damage the walls and linings of the air sacs in the lungs, while your body tries to fight it, the lungs become more inflamed and filled with fluid, and this can make it difficult for them to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide.
A person may have severe pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome, and in more serious cases, the lungs need help from a machine called a ventilator to do their job.
There is evidence that 20-30% of critically ill patients can develop clots in the lungs, heart, brain, and legs, some of which are life-threatening.
14 signs of omicron infection
Using data from the UK’s Zoe Covid app for the most common symptoms of Omicron, and through a graph I highlighted the percentage of people who experienced certain symptoms.
Runny nose: 73%.
Headache: 68%.
Fatigue: 64%.
Sneezing: 60%.
Sore throat: 60%.
Chronic cough: 44%.
Hoarse voice: 36%.
Chills or shivers: 30%.
Fever: 29%.
Vertigo: 28%.
Brain fog: 24%.
Muscle pain: 23%.
Loss of smell: 19%.
Chest pain: 19%
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