According to the South China Morning Post, a study from the Chinese University advised that up to two million people in Hong Kong may have endured long-term COVID or post-COVID conditions. The same study's findings indicated that 70% of study participants had experienced symptoms like depression, memory loss, and hair loss.

Nearly 7,000 respondents took part in the Chinese University of Hong Kong study. The researchers are using the results to call on the government to set up special clinics to offer early treatment for people with the condition to reduce further strain on the city's healthcare system.

Chinese University Study Findings

Professor Francis Chan Ka-Leung, dean of Chinese University's medical faculty and director of the Centre for Gut Microbiota Research, told SCMP that some of the patients have been suffering from the symptoms since the pandemic's fourth wave two years ago.

"Around 30 percent of the respondents had received two or three doses of the vaccine. Their symptoms are mostly short-term and mild. But the symptoms of the rest of them, 70 percent of them, are continuous," the professor added.

The aforementioned study is an ongoing research project that began in the lab in July. According to reports, the researchers hope to reach 10,000 respondents and include a wider range of age groups in the online survey.

More than 30% of respondents said they had mood disorders like insomnia, anxiety, or depression, and 40% of respondents said they had poor memory. 

Some 20% of participants reported having a persistent cough, and 40% reported having multiple symptoms, including shortness of breath, sore muscles, and hair loss. Another 20% reported having long-term COVID in the past but recovering from it.

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So far, the study has determined that approximately two million Hongkongers are suffering from varying degrees of post-COVID infection conditions. Researchers also noted that these figures were especially high given that three million people have been diagnosed with the virus since the pandemic began.

According to Worldometers data, Hong Kong has recorded over 1.8 million cases and 10,000 COVID-related deaths. On Sunday, Oct. 16, the city recorded 5,564 infections, 385 of which were imported, and five more deaths.

Health officials and academics in Hong Kong claim that the figures do not include unreported infections or patients who are asymptomatic, which could bring the total up to 3 million. Back in July, Bloomberg reported that Hong Kong experienced a sharp increase in self-reports of Covid-19 infections as a deadline drew near for receiving the third vaccination.

More About Long COVID

According to the CDC, post-COVID conditions can include a variety of persistent health issues and can last for weeks, months, or longer.

There is no test to identify post-COVID conditions, and individuals may experience a wide range of symptoms that other medical conditions could cause. This can make it challenging for medical professionals to identify post-COVID conditions.

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