As Covid-19 cases continue to increase in the middle of what is being called a second wave of the virus, experts share some lesser-known symptoms that are beginning to show up in many patients that people need to be aware of.
Dr. Gitali Bhagawati, consultant & head, department of microbiology and infection control, Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, advised how the “new variants including UK variants, double mutant variants are dispersing faster hence diversity in symptoms is also apparent.
They are highly infectious, and all age groups come under the same level of risk. As far as symptoms are concerned high to low-grade fever, cough, cold, breathing difficulty, running nose, body ache, loss of taste and smell were already existing. However, symptoms like dry mouth, non-salivation, GI (gastrointestinal) symptoms, and headache are the symptoms which are now more talk about,” she said.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reinstated guidance recently stated that direct contact with a sick person or through airborne transmission remains the primary cause of coronavirus spread.
The early Covid 19 symptoms identified by the global researchers are fever, cough, chills, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, repeated shaking with chills, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, according to CDC.
CDC stated that if anyone finds any unusual development or symptom then they must go for testing. These unusual symptoms include conjunctivitis or pink eye, loss of hearing (reduced hearing, ear pain, etc) and gastrointestinal disorders.
“The digestive system involves the gastrointestinal tract (GI) along with the liver, pancreas, and gall bladder, which should be taken care of as COVID, besides interrupting other body parts, affects the GI tract as well. It disrupts its functioning and renders it unable to perform its duties of absorbing electrolytes and fluids from the body. Patients can even end up with bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract,” said Dr. Roy Patankar, gastroenterologist and director of Zen Multispecialty Hospital, Chembur, Mumbai.
As per a study done in China, pink eye or conjunctivitis is a sign of COVID-19 infection. In the case of pink eye, people can develop redness, swelling, and watery eyes.
If you have mild to recurring symptoms, it is essential to get yourself tested, as per CDC.
According to the latest report of the National Institute of Health, half of the coronavirus patients suffer oral symptoms during the infection. As per the researchers, some of the symptoms include Xerostomia (dry mouth). The salivary glands in your mouth do not make enough saliva to keep the mouth wet, and lesions or blisters, or mouth ulcers occur on the mucous membrane of the oral cavity. As per the research, this happens when the virus attacks the oral linings and muscle fibres.
Experts have also alerted of a strange symptom called COVID Tongue, which is becoming an increasingly common symptom for the infection. In this condition, your tongue may start to appear white and patchy, according to scientists. In the COVID tongue, your body fails to produce saliva that protects your mouth from harmful bacteria. People with this symptom may also find it difficult to chew food and to speak.
Covid tongue could also be accompanied by a change to the tongue’s sensation and muscle pain while chewing due to persistent ulcers. However, it is not entirely clear what causes explicitly Covid tongue, states the research.
As per a February 2021 study by Imperial College London, new research into COVID-19 patients discovered new symptoms associated with the virus, including chills, loss of appetite, headaches, and muscle aches.
