Doctors in the United Kingdom think they have documented the world's longest Covid infection: a patient they treated for more than 16 months, or 505 days, had measurable quantities of the virus.
The unidentified person had various physical issues and died at a hospital in 2021.
According to the London doctors, persistent infections like these are still uncommon.
The infection is usually cleared spontaneously in most people, but the patient in question had a severely damaged immune system.
Experts suggest that chronic infections like this need to be studied in order to increase our understanding of Covid and the hazards it might cause.
Covid was initially detected by the patient in early 2020. They exhibited symptoms, and a PCR test confirmed the illness.