What are the common and atypical symptoms of COVID-19? [WE EXPLAIN]

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The more we know about the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, the more the list of symptoms that indicate an infection has expanded. Initially, they all focused on the three main symptoms – cough, fever, and difficulty breathing. Today we know that there are many more of them, some of them very unusual.

1. Common symptoms of COVID-19 include a dry cough, fever, and shortness of breath. Along with new information about the course of the disease, new symptoms emerge, which may appear together with the primary symptoms or as stand-alone symptoms
2. Diarrhea and headaches stand out among the unusual symptoms of COVID-19. Many of the symptoms also come from the nervous system – changes in the sense of smell and taste, nervousness, and confusion. These symptoms can also be signs of SARS-CoV-2 infection
3. Why is it important to know the symptoms of COVID-19? Failure to know them may lead to delay in diagnosis and, consequently, to the introduction of treatment. In addition, doctors believe that more COVID-19 cases are detected because of symptoms that are unusual and “strange”
4. For more up-to-date information on the coronavirus, please visit the TvoiLokony home page

Common symptoms of COVID-19

On the website of the World Health Organization, we can read that the most common, common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough and tiredness. Coronavirus infection is suspected when these symptoms are not chronic and when they are not related to other diseases.

Among the symptoms of COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also distinguish chills, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, muscle aches, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, stuffy and runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.

Although there are many symptoms that are considered typical for COVID-19, they do not have to occur simultaneously. How often do they appear? Reliable information on the presentation of COVID-19 symptoms can be found in a large retrospective study from the United States of 1000 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. In 60 percent of them, lower respiratory tract symptoms (cough, dyspnoea) and fever were observed. Symptoms such as sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion appeared relatively rarely – in less than 20% of patients. cases.

Researchers also noted a high prevalence of ‘unusual’ symptoms, ie those not related to the airways. In 24 percent of respondents developed diarrhea, and 10 percent. complained of a headache.

The chart below shows the prevalence of COVID-19 symptoms (based on: Diagnostic and clinical significance of “atypical” symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019, Giuseppe Lippi, Camilla Mattiuzzi, DOI: 10.20452 / pamw.15448, Published online: June 25, 2020) .

See also:

1. What are the symptoms of the disease caused by the coronavirus?
2. What to do when you notice the first symptoms of coronavirus?
3. Coronavirus in children. How do you know when something is wrong? Important advice from a pediatrician

Less common symptoms of COVID-19

The World Health Organization also lists the less common symptoms of COVID-19, which include:

1. irritability,
2. confusion,
3. reduced awareness,
4. anxiety,
5. depressive states,
6. sleep disturbances,
7. more serious and rarer neurological complications such as strokes, encephalitis, delirium, and nerve damage.

Why so many neurological symptoms? Scientists involved in the fight against the coronavirus learn more and more about the effects of the virus on our body on the basis of case studies. Initially, the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus appeared to affect the respiratory tract, but more and more studies show that it has an impact on other organs and systems in our body. Diarrhea, recognized as one of the more common symptoms of COVID-19, is a symptom of the digestive system.

See: Coronavirus not only affects the lungs. It affects all organs

According to research, as many as 65 percent. COVID-19 patients experience symptoms such as hallucinations, irritability and confusion. Panic states and anxiety attacks may also appear in hospitalized patients. Hypoxia, caused by the virus multiplying in the cells of the lungs, can also lead to brain damage and, in extreme cases, to stroke.

Scientists have also found that the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus can multiply directly in brain cells, causing inflammation that damages this organ. Read more: COVID-19 patients often experience severe neurological symptoms

Unusual symptoms of COVID-19

In addition to the common and less common ones, scientists also report unusual symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection, which are not on the WHO or CDC lists.

Check it out: Lesser-known COVID-19 symptoms you need to know about

A study conducted by researchers at King’s College London in conjunction with an app that records health every day and any new potential symptoms of COVID-19 noted that many study participants reported unusual skin rashes. Among approx. 336 respondents, 000% people with confirmed infection with the SARS-CoV-8,8 coronavirus have experienced a skin rash.

In people with a negative result, this symptom occurred in 5,4%. cases. A further survey, which was attended by almost 12 thousand. of respondents with a skin rash and suspected COVID-19 showed that 17 percent. People who test positive for COVID-19 have reported rash as one of the first symptoms of the disease. 1 in 5 people who reported a rash and then tested positive for COVID-19 was the only symptom of infection.

More: A symptom of COVID-19 that is not officially listed as symptoms

Another unusual symptom of COVID-19 is conjunctivitis. Case series studies showed that nearly a third of patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection had clinical signs of conjunctivitis. The more severe the course of the disease, the more frequently this symptom was reported. According to a study published in the Journal of Medical Virology, conjunctivitis can be used as a clinical indicator of disease severity.

Another unusual symptom of COVID-19 observed by scientists is persistent hiccups. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine reports the case of a 62-year-old patient who was admitted to the emergency department with a fever. The man also had a persistent hiccup that lasted four days. The research revealed that the patient had problems with lung function. It has been isolated and tested for COVID-19.

Doctors described that an abnormal chest X-ray led to a chest CT scan with contrast, which showed changes in the lungs. After being tested and tested positive for COVID-19, the patient received hydroxychloroquine, the hiccups disappeared, and the man was released home after three days.

Doctors emphasize the importance of a thorough interview with the patient, physical examination and ordering basic tests. According to the authors of the article, more COVID-19 cases are detected precisely because of symptoms that are atypical and ‘strange’.

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Why is it so important to know the symptoms of COVID-19?

Scientists in an article from the Journal of Medical Virology explain that extrapulmonary and atypical COVID-19 symptoms may be the only ones manifested by the patient. If doctors do not recognize them, or if they do so too late, this can lead to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. That is why it is so important to know the clinical symptoms of COVID-19. Thanks to it, it is possible to isolate patients suspected of having an infection early, which in turn will reduce the transmission of infection in a hospital setting.

In addition, the knowledge of atypical symptoms of COVID-19, such as conjunctivitis, showed that the virus can spread not only through droplets, but also through tears (in patients with this symptom, virus particles were isolated from tears). This only shows how important it is to use appropriate personal protective equipment by people who have close contact with potentially infected people on a daily basis.

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