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1.1 million people in private homes in the UK have reported prolonged COVID, the latest estimates show.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) defined the condition as symptoms that lasted more than four weeks and are self-reported, rather than clinically diagnosed.
Of the 1.1 million, 674,000 people were thought to have symptoms that affected their daily lives, and an estimated 196,000 had very limited ability to perform daily tasks.
The figures were reported over a four-week period until March 6.
Prolonged self-reported COVID prevalence rates were higher in people aged 35 to 69, women, those living in the most deprived areas, those working in health or social care services, and those with a pre-existing health condition that limits activity. ONS found.
However, it is not possible to say whether these patterns are due to differences in the risk of coronavirus infection or the susceptibility to experience prolonged COVID after infection.
Ben Humberstone, Head of Health and Life Events at ONS, said: “Two-thirds of people with prolonged self-reported COVID told us that you are limiting their daily activities so that they cannot do the things they would” have been able to do before.
“And when you think that this is more prevalent in people of working age, that will have a real impact on the world of work, childcare and the things we take for granted every day.
He said the ONS was “surprised” by the numbers, adding that “this is not like other diseases.”
There is no universally accepted definition of long COVID, but it covers a wide range of symptoms such as fatigue, muscle pain, and difficulty concentrating.
The current estimate of the number of patients is much higher than the last time the figures were collected.
During the week beginning November 22, 2020, only around 186,000 people in England said they were living with prolonged COVID symptoms, although those statistics relate to people with symptoms lasting more than five weeks, not four.
A report published last week revealed that seven out of 10 people brought to the hospital with COVID-19 have not fully recovered after five months.
