1 in 3 COVID-19 patients report long-term symptoms, study finds

A new study published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that roughly 1 in 3 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 reported symptoms two months later.

The study, done in Long Beach, California, found that one-third of those who tested positive for COVID-19 reported at least one symptom of the disease caused by the coronavirus four or more weeks after testing positive.

The CDC reported that rates were even higher in women, Black people, those older than 40, and those with pre-existing conditions. The CDC describes “long COVID” as experiencing symptoms four or more weeks since testing positive for the disease.

For the study, the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services spoke to 366 people, age 18 and older, chosen at random from two test groups after receiving a positive COVID-19 test between April 1 and December 10, 2020.

Another report, published in The Guardian Sunday, says that U.S. physicians treating unvaccinated patients are “succumbing to compassion fatigue” as a fourth surge of COVID-19 cases sweeps across the country.

Dr. Michelle Shu, a 29-year-old emergency medicine resident, said medical school did not prepare her to handle the misinformation unvaccinated patients believe about the vaccine, calling the experience “demoralizing.”

“There is a feeling that, ‘I’m risking my life, my family’s life, my own well-being for people who don’t care about me,’” Dr. Mona Masood, a psychiatrist in Philadelphia told The Guardian.

The U.S. has more COVID-19 cases than any other country, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, with more than 42 million infections.

India’s health ministry said Sunday that it had recorded 30,773 new COVID cases in the previous 24-hour period and 309 deaths, only the U.S. has more infections than India, which has more than 33 million, according to Johns Hopkins.

Singapore reported more than 1,000 new cases of the virus Sunday, the highest rate for the country since April 2020. Even with 80% of its population fully vaccinated against the virus, Singapore has paused further reopening.

Johns Hopkins has recorded more than 228 million global COVID-19 cases and 4.6 million global deaths. Almost 6 billion vaccines have been administered, according to Johns Hopkins.

Over the weekend, the Smithsonian revealed that some tigers and lions at the National Zoo in Washington tested positive for the virus.

The zoo reported that six lions and three tigers were suffering decreased appetites, lethargy, and coughing and sneezing, but said in a press release that it was committed to the health and safety of both the animals and the human staff.