Recovering from coronavirus: The patients living with the long-term effects of the virus
Three patients recuperating from coronavirus have opened up about the long-term complications of the disease.
Although many people recover from the virus with few or no lasting effects, others are left with conditions including chronic fatigue, post-traumatic stress disorder and even organ failure.
Some people face weeks, months or potentially years of medical care, as well as gruelling physiotherapy.
It is estimated that thousands are living with so-called 'long Covid', which appears to affect people in many different ways.
On 6th March this year, Scott Howell was admitted to the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport with Covid-19.
The virus ravaged his body and he spent three weeks in a coma, suffered kidney failure and his heart stopped twice.
One intensive care consultant at the hospital said Scott was "as ill as anybody can be".
Scott was discharged from hospital to applause from NHS staff, but his recovery was far from over. He had to learn how to walk again, and also couldn’t shave, shower or feed himself.
Six months on, Scott still attends physio sessions twice a week.
Although the sessions have improved his physical and mental health, life is still not back to normal. Scott has heart and kidney failure, and the virus has taken a toll on his mental health.
"Mentally, I suffer from PTSD - I still have the nightmares; still can't sleep in the evenings. I'm fatigued - and we're six months on.
''It's a disease that doesn't just hit you and go away. It stays with you for a long time."
Simbarashe Ngoshi believes he caught Covid-19 while working as a nurse at the Royal Gwent Hospital.
He ended up being treated in that same hospital - on a ventilator, in intensive care.
“After the Covid, I think I am struggling quite a lot more with fatigue," he said.
"I just don't have the stamina that I used to have. Physio is helping, but I'm still struggling."
Simba also has lasting issues with his sense of smell, and strong artificial scents now make it difficult for him to breathe.
Scott Robertson became ill with Covid-19 at the end of March. It took ten days for him to become seriously unwell and he ended up in hospital. By the time he came out, he couldn’t even walk 50 yards.
"Covid was the worst thing that's ever happened to me, health-wise," Scott said.
''To be honest, I was a bit sceptical to start with, thinking: 'It's a virus for older people, it won't get me'. Then it did.
"I'm probably about 90 to 95 per cent back to where I was. My joints ache and I've got no taste. That's the only thing I've got, really, that's long term for me. I consider myself lucky in that respect.''
Those in charge of the physio sessions have recognised huge differences in patients' recovery time, irrespective of their age or previous fitness levels.
Chris Pennington, of the National Exercise Referral Scheme, says many need long-term care and support.
“Obviously Covid-19 is a new disease, so none of the health professionals that were on the ward were aware of the effects that it would have, and the long-term effects that a lot of the patients are still experiencing," he said.
"Some patients are recovering quicker than others, and some are going to need a lot more long-term care and support going forward than others."
Jill Haworth, a clinical lead physiotherapist, has been helping patients recover and says it has been a rewarding process for everyone involved.“It's amazing to see how far they've come in their journey," Jill said.
"To see them from being so, so poorly to starting to live their lives. I think that's what rehabilitation is.”
You can watch the full episode of Wales this Week here.