Covid infection raises risk of developing fatal blood clot in lung by 33-fold, says study

A 33-fold spike has been witnessed in the occurrence of a blood clot in the lung, which can be fatal, in 30 days after getting infected with coronavirus, found a new study.  

Another five-fold rise in the risk of getting deep vein thrombosis (DVT) has been linked with contracting Covid, it also said.

The findings of the research were published in the British Medical Journal on Thursday.

The study was carried out by Anne-Marie Fors Connolly of Umeå University in Sweden and her colleagues. The team looked to check the risk of DVT, pulmonary embolism, which is a blood clot in the lung, and other types of bleeding in over one million people, who were also the confirmed cases of Covid.

They also found a two-fold hike in the risk of bleeding after 30 days of the infection.

After becoming infected with coronavirus, patients remain at heightened risk of pulmonary embolism for six months. For bleeding and DVT, the risk is for two and three months, respectively.   

“Pulmonary embolism can be fatal, so it is important to be aware [of this risk]. If you suddenly find yourself short of breath, and it doesn’t pass, [and] you’ve been infected with the coronavirus, then it might be an idea to seek help, because we find this increased risk for up to six months,” Connolly told the Guardian.