The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has included more symptoms of coronavirus among patients. Federal health agent had only recorded three symptoms until recently. However, the CDC added several symptoms including muscle pain, headache and new loss of taste or smell.
The expanded list is coming after the researchers are scouring for more information about the coronavirus. People with underlying conditions and the elderly continue to be vulnerable to the coronavirus. The CDC website now addresses fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, repeated shaking, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell as a part of the symptoms of the novel coronavirus. Experts are also studying what the doctors call the 'COVID-19 toes.' This has also been recorded as a new symptom.
Previously in March, the American Academy of Otolaryngology had requested the CDC to add lack of smell as a part of the coronavirus symptom. Back then the World Health Organisation was looking into the matter and said that there could be a possible link between lack of smell and lack of taste.
During a conference with the media on March 23 Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's technical lead for COVID-19 said that the WHO was reaching out to several countries to see if this is a common feature among the patients.
Increased number of study on the symptoms observed in patients
Recently, there was a study conducted jointly by the UK and Italy which addressed the symptom of lack of smell and taste in the COVID-19 patients. The study said that around 64 percent of the patients reported that they experienced the lack of sense of smell and taste. According to Dr James Denneny, executive vice president and CEO of the American Academy of Otolaryngology, people with this symptom should self-isolate themselves or be tested immediately for the coronavirus.
Some researchers also note that the lack of sense of taste or smell could be the 'initial marker for the coronavirus.' A WHO report has also emerged which said that there are several symptoms of the coronavirus which was not previously known to the doctors. According to the report on the cases from China, around 40 percent of the patients experienced fatigue and 14 percent said that they had headaches. As more patients emerged with these symptoms the doctors urged the CDC to include them into the list of symptoms.
