Fever to Shortness of Breath: Sequence of Covid-19 Symptoms

As the world puts up a battle against the massively rising cases of coronavirus, the pandemic continues to surge. Identifying symptoms of the infection is extremely necessary to control the spread of the virus. It is known that COVID-19 symptoms change from person to person, based on many factors like age, severity, preluding illnesses and gender. However, in most cases, COVID-19 starts in a certain way.

As per recent studies led by the University of South California, it is suggested that COVID symptoms start off in a certain directive that can also make it easier to distinguish it from flu-like diseases. It is also believed that understanding symptoms can prove beneficial to spot cautionary signs before the infection threat rises and help people isolate.

Scientists based out of the University of South California in a study helped in predicting the pattern in which COVID-19 takes off.

According to scientists who sampled the results collected by World Health Organisation (WHO), fever could be the indicative symptom of COVID-19. Although COVID-19 and flu belong to an associated family of viruses and have rather similar signs, analysis shows that most patients who test positive for COVID-19 exhibited the presence of fever foremost, as compared to those diagnosed with flu, for whom the infection began with a cough.

Difference between COVID-19 and the flu

Scientists further claimed that as the influenza severity keeps varying, flu also could appear with more than a single symptom. The study discovered that the abrupt onset of flu includes symptoms, such as back pain, chills, along with a dry cough.

How does COVID-19 differ from the flu then?

COVID-19 could also look a lot like the flu virus in numerous ways, however the way symptoms unveil can be contradictory. The study of cases conducted by WHO from the peak cases of China indicated that the signs started showing up in the following manner:

-Fever

-Cough, muscle pain

-Nausea, vomiting

-Diarrhoea

-Shortness of breath

The study’s conclusions put forward that fever, and not just cough, should be used as a precautionary screening measure.

It could prevent a ‘twindemic’

In countries with recurrent flu epidemics, detecting potential signs could avoid the chances of a ‘twindemic’ from ensuing, i.e., flu and COVID-19 both striking at the same time. Learning about the signs could also add to virus prevention from the zero level, where public health facilities might not be there in large numbers.

But are these the only symptoms?

As we learn more information about the virus, new symptoms are emerging. Hence, it can be said that fever and cough are not the only two symptoms. There is asymptomatic transmission (i.e., being COVID-19 positive without having symptoms) as well. Also those diagnosed with the infection also show symptoms of chest pain, loss of smell or gastrointestinal infections.