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The 4 mild coronavirus symptoms that you should not ignore
CORONAVIRUS infections are continuing to rise across the country and Brits have been told to stay at home to protect themselves and others from the spread.
By now we are all aware of the three main symptoms outlined by the NHS, a new persistent cough, a loss of taste and smell (anosmia) and a high temperature.
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If you have any of these symptoms then you need to isolate and get a test in order to prevent the virus spreading to friends and family members.
While most people will suffer the three main symptoms above, others have warned that there are other symptoms people can experience after contracting the virus.
Here are some other signs that could mean you have picked up the deadly bug...
1. Stomach ache
A bad stomach might be more commonly associated with bugs like norovirus.
But some Covid-19 patients have reported experiencing tummy ache just before developing the other known symptoms.
A study, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, suggests people might experience digestive issues, such as diarrhoea, when they are infected with coronavirus.
Researchers analysed data from 204 patients with Covid-19 in China’s Hubei province and they discovered that 48.5 per cent of these patients arrived at the hospital with digestive symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting or abdominal pain.
Isla Haslam, 29, from Balham, South West London, experienced stomach troubles whilst battling coronavirus during the first wave of the pandemic.
She previously told The Sun Online that on the second day she woke up with a dodgy stomach - but at the time put it down to her dinner of lentils and beans the night before.
But by the following day, she had developed a tickle in her throat and felt exhausted.
The public relations consultant said she tried to power through the day but took herself off to bed early.
She said: "Waking up in the middle of the night, I noticed my nose was blocked and I felt horrific. My body ached severely, I felt so heavy and was sweating with a fever.
"Things were not looking good. I struggled to sleep due to the intense body aches – I never felt anything like this before."
2. Eye infections
Doctors warned early on in the pandemic that a loss of taste or smell could be a sign of coronavirus.
The British Association of Otorhinolaryngology, which represents experts in ear, nose and throat medicine, also say that the eye infection conjunctivitis may be another sign.
In a statement, the docs said: "Evidence from other countries that the entry point for the coronavirus is often in the eyes, nose and throat areas."
It's thought that losing the ability to smell or taste could be due to the virus destroying cells in the nose and throat.
Experts say it's something people can commonly experience after having other types of coronaviruses - such as the common cold.
Ryan Van Waterschoot, who ended up in hospital for 10 days while he fought Covid-19, is one of those who lost his sense of taste and smell.
The 28-year-old said: "I didn’t think I was going to make it out of the hospital. I thought it was the end of the road for me.
Mr Van Waterschoot, of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, first felt unwell on March 6 last year when he lost his sense of taste and smell and, and went from feeling tired to not being able to move in just one day.
As his condition worsened, he called the doctors and was immediately advised to call an ambulance on March 12.
His temperature had soared and he was taken to Peterborough City Hospital where he was put on an isolation ward and needed oxygen for five days.
3. Brain fog
Some people may experience brain fog, also known as mental fatigue, as another symptom of coronavirus.
It's not been officially looked into as a symptom but it's another indicator that those who have experienced the illness have reported experiencing.
Thea Jourdan, 50, said she didn't experience a cough or fever - instead her introduction to Covid-19 began with a tickle in her throat and a dull headache,.
The mum-of-three, from Hampshire, says she then started to experience brain fog.
She told the Daily Mail: "Initially I felt exhausted, as if I was dragging myself through treacle and had no choice but to go to my bed. I had no meaningful cough and I wasn’t running a fever.
"But I had a peculiar sensation of something settling deep within my lungs, almost like breathing in talcum powder.
"I also had brain fog. I was unable even to fill out forms from the children’s schools. I just wanted to sleep."
Another woman, who had recently recovered from Covid-19, told the Huffington Post that she too had experienced the unusual mental block before her symptoms worsened.
Christy, from Seattle, said her illness started with a multi-day fever that progressed into sinus congestion, a headache and a debilitating “brain fog” that made it impossible to focus.
She added: “It’s not just a cold. I’m pretty healthy and not old (in my 40s), and it kicked my ass.”
4. Fatigue
Another symptom that coronavirus patients have reported is feeling extremely fatigued before symptoms develop.
According to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association, up to 44 per cent of those hospitalised with Covid-19 reported exhaustion and fatigue.
Chiara DiGiallorenzo, 25, battled Covid-19 last year and said her illness started with a fever and fatigue.
But she knew it was more serious than a flu when she developed a tightness in her chest that left her short of breath.
Chiara, from Miami, told HuffPo: “It is not the flu,” adding that many people who get it are left “fighting for air.”
Linda Carr, 69, from Hethersett, Norfolk, said that she lost her sense of taste and smell.
She told the Mail she then developed other symptoms, adding: "I felt very sick and terribly fatigued. But I didn’t have a temperature or a cough.
"Within two days I could barely stand. I didn’t have the energy to lift one foot in front of the other."
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It was only when she went to her GP to collect some unrelated blood tests that she had her temperature taken and was told it was so high she should go straight to hospital.
She tested positive for Covid-19 and spent five days in hospital before being discharged.
What to do if you feel unwell
If you think you might have coronavirus then you need to get a test as soon as possible.
You and anyone you live with should stay at home and not have visitors until you get your test result – only leave your home to have a test.
Use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service if you're worried about your symptoms or you're not sure what to do.
Call 111 if you cannot get help online. Do not go to places like a GP surgery, hospital or pharmacy.
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