Health experts are sounding a severe warning about a potential “heart failure pandemic” related to COVID-19, particularly due to the emergence of a new strain known as JN.1. The spike in COVID-19 cases worldwide, including countries like the US, UK, China, and India, has raised concerns about an increased risk of heart issues associated with the virus.
A new study by scientists from Japan’s top research institute, Riken, highlights the potential danger. The report indicates that the coronavirus primarily clings to ACE2 receptors within human cells, which are abundant in the heart. This prevalence of ACE2 receptors in the heart suggests that individuals infected with the virus may experience “reduced cardiac function.”
While the exact reasons for this phenomenon are not yet fully understood, the report speculates that the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic may have played a role. It warns that the number of people at risk of future heart failure due to the “persistent infection of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)” is expected to rise exponentially.
The report emphasizes the need for further validation through a three-dimensional human cardiac tissue model to confirm the possibility of persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection in the heart and its potential association with heart failure progression. The scientists stress the importance of this validation as an early warning for a “global healthcare risk.”
The timing of this warning coincides with a significant increase in COVID-19 cases globally, driven in part by the rapid spread of the JN.1 variant. Health officials are particularly concerned as the surge aligns with the holiday season, with millions of people expected to travel and gather for New Year’s celebrations. The presence of the JN.1 variant accounts for a substantial portion of new cases, prompting health experts to anticipate a potentially challenging winter, especially when combined with an uptick in flu cases.
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