Over the course of the past few months, there has been a lot of said about the most probable and less likely coronavirus symptoms. The problem with diagnosing COVID-19 is that this disease shares a lot of symptoms with other respiratory infections like cold or flu. However, recently, doctors reported one more symptom that is only typical for the coronavirus. Here is everything you need to know.
Support your health with vitamins and supplements from Jiji
1. No.1 coronavirus symptom
The one symptom that should immediately make you worry that you have the coronavirus is the loss of taste and smell. If all food started tasting bland to you and you can no longer tell what is being cooked simply by using your smell, consider it to be an early symptom of the coronavirus and take appropriate measures: isolate yourself at home, use protection methods to prevent your other household members from getting infected, and monitor your health state closely to know when there are any complications.
Read more: Five Signs That Show You Might Have A Weak Immune System
Loss of smell and taste has first been reported as a possible COVID-19 symptom in March, but it wasn’t until late May that it was added to the official list of the coronavirus symptoms used by medical professionals to diagnose COVID-19 patients. This symptom can be particularly telling if the person is otherwise asymptomatic – people who have the coronavirus but are not displaying any symptoms and don’t even know they are infected are incredibly dangerous in terms of infecting people around them.
In most cases, the loss of taste and smell lasts between 7 and 14 days and usually follows other respiratory symptoms, especially congested nose. If you are a young and healthy individual who has not experienced any other COVID-19 symptoms other than the loss of smell and taste, you can assume you have the coronavirus.
2. Other common coronavirus symptoms
So which other symptoms can tell you that you likely have COVID-19 without doing the test that can take several days to deliver the results? Patients with COVID-19 report the first symptoms in 2 to 14 days after possibly contracting the virus. These are the most common symptoms associated with the coronavirus:
Read more: Why Africa Will Not Experience Massive Deaths From COVID-19
- Fever. Fever has been reported in almost 100% of coronavirus cases where the person is showing any symptoms at all. For each person, the COVID-19-related fever can be different, but anything over 38°C should be concerning for you.
- Dry cough. Only over half of COVID-19 patients report dry cough as a coronavirus symptom, but if the cough is new yet very persistent, you have all the reasons to assume you have caught the coronavirus.
- Fatigue. If you are a normally healthy and active individual but suddenly begin experiencing bouts of fatigue and loss of will to do anything, it can be an early coronavirus symptom even if you are not experiencing any other symptoms. In some cases, you can also develop body aches, which are also not normal for young and healthy people.
- Shortness of breath. Shortness of breath occurs in only about a third of all coronavirus cases, but it’s one of the most serious symptoms that is a signal that COVID-19 has affected your respiratory symptoms and there is a risk of complications.
- Gastrointestinal symptoms. Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting are not the most common COVID-19 symptoms and can be caused by numerous other reasons, but if you experience any gastrointestinal symptoms paired with other symptoms on this list, there is a possibility you have contracted the coronavirus.
Read more: Life After COVID-19! Five Things That Might Never Go Back To Normal
Buy and sell with confidence from your phone using the Jiji app
