According to the researchers from Cambridge University, one in 100 hospitalised Covid-19-positive patients may develop a punctured lung, a condition that occurs when air leaks into the space between the lungs and the chest wall, according to a study published in the European Respiratory Journal.

The condition is also called pneumothorax and shortness of breath is one of its underlying symptoms. The severity of this condition can lead to lung collapse.

The researchers studied the data gathered from 16 hospitals and found that this condition occurs at a rate of 0.91 per cent.

The team of researchers also found that coronavirus patients can get this condition even when the effects of the virus are not so harsh on them.

The study further revealed that 63 per cent of patients survive the condition, mostly young people. The condition gets critical in older patients.

The virus that has ravaged the world is proved to be lethal for lungs. It targets the ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme) receptors present in the lungs, which leads to shortness of breath and fatigue, as per previous studies.

Covid-19 primarily infects the lungs in the affected individuals and in severe cases causes death due to ARDS and pneumonia, according to the official release of the Narayana Health.