New-Onset Catatonia and Delirium in a COVID-Positive Patient

Abstract

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a strain of coronavirus family, which was initially found in China in late 2019 and subsequently spread to rest of the world. COVID-19 has led to physical and mental health complications since its onset. In addition to the pandemic-associated social stresses, biological complications include direct viral encephalitis, autoimmune-mediated responses, medication side effects, hypoxic brain injury, and delirium, which can collectively cause varied presentations of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Neuropsychiatric complications have been reported in the acute stages of COVID-19 and post-infection period. Here we report our experience treating a patient who initially presented with a severe depressive episode and subsequently developed catatonia and delirium following hospital-acquired COVID-19 infection.