NEWS

The number of cases of multiple sclerosis has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic.

MOSCOW, May 27, 2024 - INTERFAX.RU

The number of cases of multiple sclerosis has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic.

After the coronavirus epidemic, there has been an increase in the number of people suffering from multiple sclerosis, Alexey Boyko, director of the Institute of Clinical Neurology, head of the Neuroimmunology Department of the Federal Center for Brain and Neurotechnology of the FMBA, said at a press conference.

He added that there are more patients around the world.

According to him, there are two main proven factors that trigger an exacerbation of multiple sclerosis - any viral infection and prolonged psycho-emotional stress, chronic stress.

“Coronavirus, like any virus, could cause an exacerbation of the disease. A more severe course of coronavirus infection in multiple sclerosis has not been noted,” Boyko noted.

In Russia, about 150 thousand people suffer from multiple sclerosis; the number of cases in the country, as well as throughout the world, is increasing, the expert noted. There are about 3.5 million such patients in the world.

“The situation is such that now this diagnosis is given to a new person every five minutes in the world, somewhere around every five minutes someone is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis,” he noted, clarifying that the increase in cases is primarily due to young people women.

https://www.interfax.ru/world/962485