UK official data: Estimated two million have long Covid-19

An estimated two million people in the UK, which represents around three per cent of the population, have reported experiencing long Covid-19, official statistics showed Wednesday June 1

Around 1.4 million of them said they first had Covid-19, or suspected they had the virus, at least 12 weeks previously, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), according to ITV.

It also found that 826,000 of the sufferers first had coronavirus at least a year earlier, while 376,000 said they first had it at least two years previously.

How long it takes to recover from coronavirus (Covid-19) is different for everybody.

While most people recover quickly, some people have symptoms that last weeks or months after the infection has gone. This is sometimes called long Covid-19.

Long Covid-19 can affect anyone, not only those who were seriously unwell or admitted to hospital when they caught Covid-19.

There are many different signs and symptoms of long Covid-19. Your symptoms may change over time.

The most common symptoms include:

• Breathing (respiratory symptoms)
• Heart and circulation (cardiovascular symptoms)
• Brain (neurological symptoms)
• Digestive system (gastrointestinal symptoms)
• Joints and muscles (musculoskeletal symptoms)
• Mental health (psychological symptoms)
• Ear, nose and throat symptoms
• Skin (dermatological symptoms)

Other general symptoms can include fatigue, fever and pain.

Some people with long COVID may have symptoms of postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) which may need further investigation. PoTS is an abnormal increase in heart rate that happens after standing up. Symptoms include lightheadedness, palpitations and fatigue.

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