Man dies of COVID-19 in Kurdistan Region after nine-month-long treatment

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – After nine months of being on ventilation, Abdul-Rahman Omer died of COVID-19 complications in the Kurdistan Region’s Akre city on Friday, his family confirmed to Kurdistan 24.

He spent 270 days in hospitals both in Akre and Duhok, battling his severe coronavirus infection, according to his brother.

He had underlying conditions, including hypertension and diabetes, a doctor who treated him for a while in Duhok has previously told Kurdistan 24.

The 44-year-old man was once the only COVID-19 patient left in Duhok's Lalav hospital.

The Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani has authorized local officials to send him abroad for advanced treatment, his brother recalled. But Omer’s doctors advised against it, saying his health condition did not allow that.

Mr. Omer is survived by 10 children.

One of the health challenges that the medical community has faced around the globe is the issue of long COVID, characterized by persistent symptoms of the disease six months after the initial infections.

Shortness of breath, lethargy, loss of appetite, smell and taste, and heart palpitations are a few symptoms of the condition that many complain about.

There is no known cure for the condition, which is still being studied by health care providers to better understand it. The World Health Organization has similarly acknowledged the medical issue.

Those who suffer from the lingering symptoms of the highly-infectious disease are advised to seek rehabilitation treatments.

Kurdistan Region has so far recorded over 464,000 infections, of which more than 7,400 are fatal, according to an official tally.