More than 150,000 people in the North East and North Cumbria could be suffering from long Covid, new estimates suggest.
The Long Covid SOS charity said more public awareness and research is needed to support those with the 'debilitating' condition.
The NHS GP Patient Survey found 5.7 per cent of 41,471 respondents in the North East and north Cumbria said they were still experiencing symptoms more than 12 weeks after first having Covid-19 – up from 5.1 per cent reported in 2022.
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The survey asked people about their experiences with their local GP surgery from January to April 2023.
Using the most recent data for the number of people registered with a GP in North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System area, it could mean about 151,200 people aged 16 and older in the area were struggling with lingering health problems from the disease.
However, people who responded to the survey are likely more aware of their health problems so estimates may be high.
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