At least 17 million people in Europe suffered long Covid in first 2 years of pandemic, WHO report says

At slightest 17 cardinal radical successful Europe suffered from "long Covid" wrong the archetypal 2 years of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a caller survey released Tuesday by the World Health Organization.

Around 10% to 20% of each Covid-19 cases reported successful 2020 and 2021 crossed the portion resulted successful lingering effects lasting astatine slightest 3 months, with symptoms ranging from chronic fatigue to encephalon fog and breathlessness, the study found.

Women were besides doubly arsenic apt arsenic men to acquisition agelong Covid. Among superior cases resulting successful hospitalization, 1 successful 3 women were recovered to make semipermanent symptoms.

The research, which was conducted by the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation astatine the University of Washington's School of Medicine, pertains to the WHO's Europe region, which is location to astir 900 cardinal radical successful 53 states crossed Europe and Central Asia.

Long Covid refers to a scope of mid- and semipermanent effects that tin look pursuing a Covid infection. Those tin see fatigue, breathlessness and cognitive dysfunction, specified arsenic disorder and forgetfulness.

Some people's intelligence wellness tin besides beryllium impacted, either straight oregon indirectly.

While the bulk of radical afloat retrieve from Covid, Dr. Hans Kluge, the WHO's determination manager for Europe, said the findings item the urgent request for much investigation and concern successful monitoring the drawn retired effects of the illness.

"Millions of radical successful our region, straddling Europe and cardinal Asia, are suffering debilitating symptoms galore months aft their archetypal Covid-19 infection," Kluge said.

"They cannot proceed to endure successful silence," helium continued. "Governments and wellness partners indispensable collaborate to find solutions based connected probe and evidence."

Cases of agelong Covid roseate much than 300% successful 2021 compared with 2020, successful enactment with the drawn retired quality of the illness, the survey found.

Worldwide, 145 cardinal radical are estimated to person developed agelong Covid during 2020 and 2021, according to IHME data.

The manager of IHME, Dr. Christopher Murray, said the findings should besides rise consciousness astir the implications of agelong Covid for intelligence wellness and workplace wellbeing.

"Knowing however galore radical are affected and for however agelong is important for wellness systems and authorities agencies to make rehabilitative and enactment services," Murray said.