Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO) called on the governments of countries worldwide to consider COVID-19 a "long-term virus."

The regional director of WHO Europe Hans Kluge urged national authorities to make it a priority to understand the long-term consequences of COVID-19 infections as some individuals are displaying worrying symptoms months after infections.

“It’s a clear priority for WHO, and of the utmost importance. It should be for every health authority,” Kluge told a press conference.

While several studies are beginning to shed light on the coronavirus, it remains a mystery as to why some COVID-19 patients continue to display symptoms for several months, including confusion, cardiac and neurological disorders, and fatigue.

“The burden is real and it is significant," said Kluge, adding that "about one in 10 COVID-19 sufferers remain unwell after 12 weeks, and many for much longer.”

Kluge stressed that patients suffering from these symptoms way after testing negative for the virus “need to be heard if we are to understand the long-term consequences and recovery from COVID-19.”

In turn, WHO Europe called on countries and institutions to “come together as part of an integrated research agenda,” in order to harmonise data collection tools and study protocols.

Kluge noted that he would organize for 53 member countries of the WHO’s European region, including several countries in Central Asia, “to set out a regional strategy.”

Notably, early February, the WHO organized the first virtual seminar devoted to the so-called “Long COVID,” in order to properly define it, give it a formal name and harmonize methods for studying it.