Girl, 10, with ‘no usual symptoms’ is diagnosed with coronavirus
A SCHOOLGIRL has been diagnosed with coronavirus - but did not show the usual symptoms of the virus, a letter to parents has revealed.
A Plymouth school sent out an email to parents and staff to warn them the unnamed ten-year-old pupil had been diagnosed with Covid-19 after initially brushing off her symptoms as tonsillitis.
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The girl, who has no underlying health issues, is said to have suffered from a temperature which reached 41.6C and caused convulsions - but did not have a dry, persistent cough.
She also had red, mottled skin, ulcers in her throat, "severe" pain in her legs and an aching body.
An email sent to parents, seen by , reads: "The head teacher has spoken to her parents this morning and she is starting to be able to sit up and move around for short periods of time.
"Hopefully this is the beginning of her recovery.
"Antibiotics did not help with this virus and the parents have only been able to give her paracetamol.
"Please monitor your children and yourselves carefully for symptoms, stay at home and stay safe."
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A number of other schools in Plymouth have since issued a warning to parents after the girl's diagnosis.
Figures state there are currently 21 confirmed coronavirus cases in Plymouth, with five deaths across Devon.
Last night, the number of the coronavirus deaths in the UK hit 465 - after 43 more died in the last 24 hours.
It also emerged yesterday that an additional 1,450 people have tested positive, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 9,529.
Scientists are still trying to understand the new illness, but research so far suggests that there are fewer cases of the virus reported in children.
That doesn't mean that kids can't catch the virus - in fact, the youngest known case was only 30 hours old.
But based on the limited information available, the symptoms in children appear to be mild.
Vomiting and diarrhoea has also been reported in at least one child based on cases of children with Covid-19 in China.
A also said that "children might be less likely to become infected or, if infected, may show milder symptoms" than adults.
Symptoms may appear similar to other respiratory illnesses, such as the flu and the common cold, but this new strain is said to more likely to trigger a cough and fever, researchers said.
To stop the spread of coronavirus, health bosses say that parents should encourage thorough handwashing, throwing tissues straight in the bin and avoiding people who are ill.
The best way to protect yourself is to wash your hands with soap and water for the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.
Happy Birthday takes about 20 seconds to sing twice and is said to be the perfect number to clean your hands to thoroughly.