A total of 3.5 million Canadians, or 11.7 percent of the total adult population, reported experiencing long-term symptoms from a COVID-19 infection by June 2023, Statistics Canada said Friday.
Revealing the results of a study in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the national statistical agency said that of those who continue to experience long-term symptoms, 79.3 percent had been experiencing symptoms for six months or more, including 42.2 percent with symptoms for one year or more.
Long-term symptoms from a COVID-19 infection, or long COVID, are defined as the presence of symptoms three or more months after a COVID-19 infection that could not be explained by anything else.
According to the results, about 7 in 10 reported experiencing them every day or almost every day when symptoms were at their worst, and about 1 in 5 reported being often or always limited by them in their daily activities. Overall, half of people with ongoing symptoms reported no improvement in their symptoms over time.
Two-thirds of Canadian adults who sought healthcare services for their long-term symptoms reported not receiving adequate treatment, service, or support for any of their symptoms, Statistics Canada said.
