COVID-19 Hospital Admissions on the Rise in California as Long COVID Cases Increase
As hospital admissions for COVID-19 start to rise in California, concerns are also growing about the potential for a surge in long COVID cases. New research from Northwestern Medicine has found that long COVID, a lingering condition affecting approximately 30% of people who survive COVID-19, may be more prevalent than previously thought.
“Long COVID is a new disease that affects approximately 30% of people who survive COVID-19,” said Dr. Igor Koralnik, a neurologist with the Comprehensive COVID Center at Northwestern Medicine. Symptoms of long COVID, which can persist for months or even years, include brain fog, memory problems, fatigue, anxiety, depression, insomnia, breathing issues, muscle aches, and heart problems.
The research, based on a study of more than 1,800 long COVID patients, revealed that more than 90% of these patients had never been hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia. This challenges the misconception that long COVID primarily affects those who were severely ill with the virus.
The study also found that among previously hospitalized patients, the average age of long COVID patients is 54, while among those who were never hospitalized and had a mild case of COVID-19 initially, the average age is 44. Notably, long COVID disproportionately affects women in their 40s who were never hospitalized due to COVID-19, indicating that the condition does not discriminate based on the severity of the initial illness.
Dr. Koralnik and his team at Northwestern suspect that long COVID may be a new autoimmune disease caused by the virus, pointing to the fact that women are four times more likely than men to develop autoimmune diseases. The researchers are now looking at biomarkers in the blood to better understand why some individuals experience prolonged symptoms while others recover more quickly.
As California prepares for the height of the holiday season, health officials are closely monitoring the rise in COVID-19 hospital admissions and the potential impact on long COVID cases. With 18 million US adults estimated to have experienced long COVID, the condition poses a significant public health concern.
The new findings from Northwestern Medicine underscore the urgency of addressing the long-term effects of COVID-19 and highlight the need for continued research and support for individuals grappling with long COVID symptoms.