Nearly 100 million people worldwide have suffered from long Covid: Study

As the world is trying to recover from the deadly Covid-19, a new study shed light towards how long covid has been affecting a lot of people worldwide. 

Researchers from the University of Michigan have said that nearly 40 per cent of the people affected by Covid had after-effects of the illness, that is, long Covid. The conclusion was made after these researchers analysed 40 studies from 17 different countries.

For people who have been hospitalised due to Covid, the chances of long Covid rise to 57 per cent.

"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," the researchers said. They further warned that long Covid can increase pressure on the health care system. 

Also read | 37 per cent patients have long Covid symptoms months post recovery: Oxford study

The study has revealed that for female survivors the rate is 49 per cent whereas for male survivors the rate is 37 per cent. There are nearly 49 per cent long Covid cases in Asia, 44 per cent in Europe and 39 per cent in North America. 

Long Covid can be defined as new or persistent symptoms of the disease after four or more weeks of the infection. Most common symptoms of long Covid that persisted after recovery are fatigue, breathing problems, pain and anxiety or depression and abdominal symptoms. 

Meanwhile, a study in September showed that 1 in 3 Covid patients had at least one long Covid symptom even after three to six months after recovery. 

The research was carried out by Oxford University, Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre and National Institute for Health Research. The study has been published in journal PLOS Medicine.