Local health services could collapse under the strain of treating close to 17,000 cases of Long Covid in the coming years.
That's according to Roscommon/Galway TD Denis Naughten following research released from the Lancet Medical Journal.
Symptoms of Long Covid are experienced at least three months after the initial infection for significant periods of time and include brain fog and fatigue.
Figures show 16,680 people with the condition locally, with the highest proportion in Westmeath at 7,093 cases.
4,487 cases have been recorded in Roscommon, while Longford has 3,025 examples of the condition.
Leitrim has the lowest rate nationally, with 2,075 cases of Long Covid recorded according to the medical journal.
While local counties have some of the lowest numbers of Long Covid cases, Deputy Naughten is warning the numbers could still put major pressure on local health services.
'When we're talking about such a substantial number of people , over one third of a million people across this country who are now suffering the effects of Long Covid, it is vitally important that we treat these people as quickly as possible, that we treat them separately to the existing waiting lists, so that they don't add to an already deplorable situation in relation to waiting lists for treatment.'
