2019 Coronavirus pandemic outbreak
The 2019-2021 Coronavirus pandemic outbreak of ME/CFS began with the 2019 SARS-CoV-2 viral outbreak, which was declared a pandemic in January 2020. SARS-CoV-2 caused most infected people to develop COVID-19, which then led to a substantial number of people developing Long COVID (long term COVID-19-like symptoms).[1] A significant proportion of Long COVID patients was found to have developed ME/CFS, although it is uncertain what the likelihood of ME/CFS is after COVID-19 infection.[2]
History[edit | edit source]
The new SARS-COV-2 virus was find to be very similar to the previous severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus that led to the 2003 Hong Kong outbreak of ME/CFS. The high degree of transmission and high rate of COVID-19 resulting from the new coronavirus led to the World Health Organization announcing that COVID-19 was a pandemic on March 11, 2020.[3]
Outbreak announcement[edit | edit source]
In March 2021, while what became known as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic was still ongoing, the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke highlighted a group of cases of ME/CFS arising directly after COVID-19.[4] The Open Medicine Foundation referred to the ME/CFS outbreak as a "potential second pandemic".
See also[edit | edit source]
Learn more[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ World Health Organization. "Q&A on coronaviruses (COVID-19)". World Health Organization. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
- ↑ NIHR (October 2020). "Living with covid-19. A dynamic review of the evidence around ongoing covid-19 symptoms (often called long covid)". evidence.nihr.ac.uk. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- ↑ "WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020". World Health Organization. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
