On Jul. 8, 2020, scientists at the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program reported that for some individuals with COVID-19, recovering from the acute phase of the infection is only the beginning.

Worrying reports indicated that the virus may be capable of inflicting long-lasting damage to the lungs, heart and nervous system, and researchers are closely watching to see if the kidneys, liver and gastrointestinal tract may be susceptible to persistent damage as well.

Some patients also report symptoms that remain weeks, even months, after becoming infected, leading some to suspect that the virus may be able to spark conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome.