Why do some COVID-19 patients experience symptoms months later?
Tens of thousands of people in Ontario alone have reported experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 weeks, sometimes months, after being diagnosed with the virus.
The symptoms can vary in severity and can include brain fog, anxiety, excessive fatigue, muscle pain, respiratory difficulties and chronic coughing—and for many, the road to recovery is long and frustrating.
In September, Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table released a report finding that at least 57,000 to 78,000 people in the province had experienced a post-COVID-19 condition following their initial diagnosis.
More than 200 different symptoms impacting 10 body organs were identified by the science table as being associated with COVID-19.
“It can affect anybody who is infected,” Fahad Razak, internal medicine physician at St. Michael’s Hospital and a member of the COVID-19 science advisory table, told CTV News Toronto at the time.
“And unlike the infection itself, where we clearly saw that it was more severe and we were worried most about older individuals or individuals who had a lot of health conditions, the post-COVID condition, or long COVID can affect anybody.”
In this week's episode of Life Unmasked, the team speaks with Dr. Angela Cheung, the co-lead investigator of the Canadian COVID-19 Prospective Cohort Study (CANCOV), who talks about what she has seen through all four waves of the pandemic. The study has at least 17,000 participants.
Suzie Goulding, the founder of COVID Long Haulers Canada, also joins the team to talk about her experience with undiagnosed COVID-19 and how the country is not doing enough to support those with chronic symptoms.
The World Health Organization has said that about one in four people infected with COVID-19 have experienced a post-COVID-19 condition for at least one month. One in 10 people experience symptoms lasting beyond 12 weeks.
Life Unmasked airs first on the iHeart app every Tuesday morning before becoming available on other streaming platforms. If you have questions for the podcast team, or an idea for an episode, please email lifeunmasked@bellmedia.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.