LONDON: More than 40% of people who survived Covid-19 throughout the world have led after the effect of the disease, researchers from Michigan University estimate, based on their review of 40 previous studies from 17 countries that see patient experiences thus called Long covid, defined as a new or persistent symptom on four weeks or more after infection.
The prevalence rose to 57% among survivors who needed hospitalization, the researchers reported on Tuesday on Medrxiv ahead of peer review.
This level is 49% among women’s survivors and 37% among men, they say.
The long covid rate estimation is 49% in Asia, 44% in Europe and 30% in North America.
Among the most common problems, fatigue is estimated to affect 23%, while shortness of breath, joint pain and memory problems each affect 13%.
This study is likely not to capture all Long Covid cases, the researchers said.
“Based on the estimated WHO 237 million Covid-19 infection around the world, this global collection …
estimates show that around 100 million people currently experience or previously experienced long-term health consequences of Covid.” This health effect, they warn, “can mobilize the pressure marked in the health care system.”