[ad_1]
LONDON: More than 40% of Covid-19 survivors worldwide have had lingering after-effects of the illness, researchers from the University of Michigan estimate, based on their review of 40 earlier studies from 17 countries that looked at patients’ experiences with so-called long Covid, defined as new or persistent symptoms at four or more weeks after infection. The prevalence rises to 57% among survivors who required hospitalisation, the researchers reported on Tuesday on medRxiv ahead of peer review.
The rate was 49% among female survivors and 37% among males, they said. The estimated long Covid rate was 49% in Asia, 44% in Europe and 30% in North America. Among the most common problems, fatigue was estimated to affect 23%, while shortness of breath, joint pain and memory problems each affected 13%.
The study likely did not capture all cases of long Covid, the researchers say. “Based on a WHO estimate of 237 million worldwide Covid-19 infections, this global pooled…estimate indicates that around 100 million individuals currently experience or have previously experienced long-term health-related consequences of Covid.” These health effects, they warn, “can exert marked stress on the healthcare system.”
The rate was 49% among female survivors and 37% among males, they said. The estimated long Covid rate was 49% in Asia, 44% in Europe and 30% in North America. Among the most common problems, fatigue was estimated to affect 23%, while shortness of breath, joint pain and memory problems each affected 13%.
The study likely did not capture all cases of long Covid, the researchers say. “Based on a WHO estimate of 237 million worldwide Covid-19 infections, this global pooled…estimate indicates that around 100 million individuals currently experience or have previously experienced long-term health-related consequences of Covid.” These health effects, they warn, “can exert marked stress on the healthcare system.”
[ad_2]
Source link
