Long COVID officially defined as post-COVID-19 condition by WHO; here’s what it means

While many recover from COVID-19 within a few weeks, a substantial number of people witness long-term problems and lingering symptoms even after recovering from the infection. Health experts refer to these persisting symptoms as long COVID.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Wednesday defined long COVID as a post-COVID-19 condition.“Post Covid-19 condition occurs in individuals with a history of probable or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, usually three months from the onset of Covid-19 with symptoms that last for at least two months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis,” the world health body said.

According to WHO estimates, 10 to 20 percent of COVID-19 patients complained of lingering symptoms for months after being infected.