COVID-19’s Hidden Toll: 270,000 Patients Left in Limbo as Healthcare System Fails to Address Lingering Aftereffects
The Alarming Rise of COVID-19 Aftereffects: A Growing Concern in South Korea
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A 55-Fold Increase in COVID-19 Aftereffects in 4 Years
According to data submitted by the office of People Power Party Rep. Baek Jong-heon, a member of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee, the number of patients with COVID-19 aftereffects in the past four years has increased 55-fold from 196 in 2020 to 10,877 as of July this year.
The World Health Organization’s Response
The World Health Organization (WHO) established a new additional classification code in 2020 called ‘unspecified post-COVID-19 condition’. In accordance with WHO measures, the government also implemented standard disease codes related to chronic COVID-19 syndrome: U09 (post-COVID-19 condition), U09.9 (unspecified post-COVID-19 condition), and U10 (multisystem inflammatory syndrome related to COVID-19).
The Growing Number of Chronic COVID-19 Syndrome Patients
According to the number of chronic COVID-19 syndrome patients by year, the number of chronic COVID-19 syndrome patients increased 55 times as of July 2024 compared to 2020. The number was 196 in 2020, 6,178 in 2021, 175,220 in 2022, 81,901 in 2023, and 10,877 as of July 2024.
Breakdown of Chronic COVID-19 Syndrome Patients
A total of 134,496 patients have been diagnosed with ‘post-COVID-19 conditions’ over the past four years. The number was 97 in 2020, 2,917 in 2021, 84,898 in 2022, 41,246 in 2023, and 5,338 in 2024. The number of patients diagnosed with ‘unspecified post-COVID-19 condition’ is 129,270. There are 97 people in 2020, 2,803 in 2021, 81,587 in 2022, 39,636 in 2023, and 5,147 in 2024.
The Need for a Support System
However, there is no relevant ministry for the management of patients with chronic COVID-19 syndrome. The Presidential Transition Committee has selected the advancement of the infectious disease response system, which includes evidence-based quarantine, such as the chronic COVID-19 syndrome investigation, as a national task in 2022, and the Korea Disease Administration is improving the chronic COVID-19 syndrome treatment guidelines for cohort studies and medical institutions.
The Importance of Government Attention
The government’s attention is important as COVID-19 syndrome requires mid- to long-term treatment, leading to cases of people quitting their jobs. Experts point out that systematic aftereffect response procedures at the government level must be established to prevent patients with mild chronic COVID-19 syndrome from progressing to severe patients.
Rep. Baek’s Call to Action
Rep. Baek said, “We created a code to enable treatment in December 2020, but it has been 4 years since the code for COVID-19 sequelae was newly established, and there is no department in charge of patient management, so we are unable to provide support for testing and treatment. Related measures have not been properly considered.” “It is not being done,” he pointed out.