Nearly 400,000 people still have long Covid a year after initial infection, new stats show

The number of people suffering from symptoms of long covid more than a year after their initial Coronavirus infection has jumped to almost 400,000.

New data from the Office for National Statistics based on a survey of patients found the numbers of patients with persistent symptoms after 12 months jumped from 70,000 in March to 376,000 in May.

Overall, the ONS said an estimated one million people had self-reported signs of long Covid which last for more than four weeks.

The effects of long Covid were reported to be affected the day-to-day activities of 650,000 people, with 192,000 of those saying their ability to undertake day-to-day activities had been limited a lot.

Fatigue was the most common symptom reported, with 547,000 people affected. A total of 405,000 people reported a shortness of breath, while 313,000 had muscle aches. More than a quarter of a million patients, 285,000 people, said they had difficulty concentrating.

According to the ONS the prevalence of long Covid was higher among those aged between 35 and 69-year-old and women were more likely to be affected than men along with those living in the most deprived areas as well as staff working in health and social care.

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Source: The Independent, 3 June 2021