Coronavirus: Symptoms
The question of cold, flu or COVID-19 is one of the most recurring when it comes to the symptoms caused by the coronavirus. The fact that all three viruses target the respiratory system is why they have similar symptoms.
However, what sets the COVID-19 disease apart from the aforementioned two is its specific combination of symptoms. Coronavirus symptoms also differ in intensity and in how they appear.
Symptoms of COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
The World Health Organization (WHO) says the common signs of COVID-19 infection include a mixture of:
Respiratory symptoms
Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath
Breathing difficulty
In more developed and severe cases, the infection can cause:
Pneumonia
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
Kidney failure
and death.
Early symptoms
The early symptoms are often mild and may include nasal congestion, runny nose, and sore throat. While not all of these symptoms show in all cases, many patients were reported having them.
Generally, the most recognized respiratory symptom that the COVID-19 coronavirus causes is the dry cough. This, coupled with a surge in the body's temperature and noticeable shortness of breath are very often reported in cases of coronavirus infection.
Nonetheless, other symptoms have also been variably reported in many cases around the world. These include:
Physical fatigue
Muscle/body aches
Headaches,
Diarrhoea.
Severe symptoms
Less commonly, in more advanced cases of coronavirus infection, the symptoms may become more serious. These appear in 1 in every 6 cases of COVID-19.
The more severe symptoms of the coronavirus include the following:
Pneumonia; a respiratory inflammation in which the lungs fill with pus that may become solid. Pneumonia may affect one lung (single pneumonia) or both lungs (double pneumonia).
SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which is a serious complication that harms the respiratory system.
Kidney failure, which is a life-threatening complication characterized by the loss of kidney functions.
These complications can lead to death and they mostly emerge in older people and patients who readily suffer from other serious diseases and/or have a weak immune system.
For example people with medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes are more likely to develop serious illness.