Long-term health problems following COVID-19 have been known for several years, according to HealthDay.
However, a new American study published in the scientific journal JAMA Network Open suggests that the number of affected individuals may be far higher than official figures indicate.
Researchers analyzed data from nearly 460,000 people who had previously been infected with COVID-19.
Artificial intelligence
In the project, researchers used artificial intelligence to identify patients who had developed new health problems after their COVID-19 infection.
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The model was tested using patient records from 58 hospitals across the United States. The analysis also showed that the number of cases continued to rise through mid-2024.
According to the researchers, many people may have symptoms that are being treated within the healthcare system without being recorded as long COVID.
Twice as many
Only after all the data had been reviewed did the full scale become apparent. The analysis found that around 16 percent of former COVID-19 patients showed signs of long COVID.
If that proportion applies to the entire United States, it would correspond to more than 18 million people. That is approximately twice as many as current official estimates.
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The researchers therefore believe that millions of cases may have been missed by existing reporting systems. The findings suggest that long COVID may be far more widespread than previously thought.
Sources: HealthDay and JAMA Network Open.
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