coronavirus symptoms Archives - Amazing Health Advances

A New Sign of COVID-19: A Rash in the Mouth

AHA Publisher — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 07:00:43 +0000

Angela Betsaida B. Laguipo, BSN via News-Medical Net – The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has wreaked havoc across the globe, with more than 14.89 million people infected. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, has a string of symptoms that include cough, fever, and difficulty of breathing. As the disease evolved, many patients reported the loss of smell and taste as other accompanying symptoms. Now, a new study reveals that the novel coronavirus may also trigger the appearance of a rash inside the mouth. A handful of patients in Spain has manifested rash-like lesions inside their mouths, baffling doctors if these could be included in the list of potential symptoms tied to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study, conducted by the researchers at Ramon y Cajal University Hospital in Madrid, describes a potential addition to the list of signs and symptoms exhibited by patients infected with the novel coronavirus. The study is published in the journal JAMA Dermatology. COVID-19 Symptoms The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) first listed that the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 disease include fever, cough, aches, and difficulty of breathing. Loss of smell, loss of taste, sore throat, and headaches were added to that list later. In June, the CDC also included other symptoms that were seen in COVID-19 patients, including nausea, diarrhea, and runny nose. However, in April, a separate group of researchers in Spain found lesions on the feet of patients, which were also tied to the novel coronavirus infection. The Study To arrive at the findings in this new study, the researchers examined 21 consecutive patients that had presented with both a skin rash and COVID-19 at the Ramon y Cajal University Hospital in Madrid between March 30 and April 8. The team aimed to determine whether the patients developed the enamthem, a term used to describe the lesions on mucous membranes, inside their mouths. The oral cavities of the patients who had the enamthems were systematically examined and categorized into four groups – petechial, macular, macular with petechiae, or erythematovesicular. In the studied group, enamthems or skin rash-like lesions inside the mouths were seen in six of 21 patients with COVID-19, who were between the ages of 40 and 69 years old. Of these, four of the six affected patients were females. The researchers noted in the study that many cases of enamthems were tied to viral infections. These lesions may present with petechia, macules, vesicles, and papules in the mouth. However, the most common ones tied to viral infections are erythemato-vesicular and petechial patterns. Further, these lesions are commonly seen in adults. The team also reported that these lesions were unlikely to be a drug side effect, but more linked to the infection itself. Also, the team said that due to concerns on the safety of healthcare workers and clinicians, many patients suspected to have the SARS-CoV-2 infection or are known to be infected, do not have their mouths examined. The new symptom is now added to the list of symptoms found in patients today. “This work describes preliminary observations and is limited by the small number of cases and the absence of a control group. Despite the increasing reports of skin rashes in patients with COVID-19, establishing an etiological diagnosis is challenging. However, the presence of enanthem is a strong clue that suggests a viral etiology rather than a drug reaction, especially when a petechial pattern is observed,” the team concluded in the study. Global Coronavirus Toll As the disease evolves and spreads across the globe, much information about the virus is being revealed and discovered. The virus is still actively spreading, with the global case toll topping 14.89 million. The death toll has now reached 615,000. The United States reports the highest number of infections, with 3.89 million confirmed cases, followed by Brazil, whose case toll has doubled in the past weeks, reaching 2.15 million. India has reported 1.15 million confirmed cases, while Russia has more than 782,000 cases. One of the major concerns of the World Health Organization (WHO) is the spread of the virus in South Africa due to concerns that the high infection rate may take a toll on the nation’s health system. The country has more than 381,000 infections. This article has been modified. To read the original article click here.

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Self-Test Your Sense of Smell to Help Detect Coronavirus

AHA Publisher — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 07:00:32 +0000

Abigail Klein Leichman via Israel21c – SmellTracker, developed in Israel, is an online platform that enables self-monitoring of smell for detecting early signs of COVID-19. Is your sense of smell suddenly not working very well? Not to panic you, but sudden olfactory loss has emerged as a significant symptom in about 60 percent of COVID-19 patients. In fact, in France, people reporting a dramatic drop-off in their ability to smell are automatically assumed coronavirus-positive. Based on this data, Weizmann Institute scientists, in collaboration with Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, developed SmellTracker – an online platform that enables self-monitoring of smell in order to detect early signs of COVID-19. SmellTracker was cooked up in the olfactory research lab of Prof. Noam Sobel in the Weizmann Institute’s Department of Neurobiology. His team previously developed a mathematical model that accurately characterizes an individual’s unique “olfactory fingerprint.” Using this existing algorithm, SmellTracker guides users on mapping their sense of smell with the help of five scents found in virtually every home (spices, vinegar, toothpaste, baking extracts, peanut butter and others). The test is available in English, Hebrew and Arabic, and is also expected to be available in Swedish, French, Japanese, Spanish, German and Persian. The five-minute online odor test can discover sudden changes in odor perception that may be an early indication of COVID-19. The test has already identified potential coronavirus cases that were later confirmed. As more data is collected, the researchers are more likely to be able to characterize a unique olfactory fingerprint for the early detection of COVID-19. The venture, launched with backing from the Ministry of Defense, will be promoted in the coming days in Sweden, France and other countries. Sobel’s lab also is distributing “scratch and smell” kits among confirmed coronavirus patients to map their sense of smell. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Israel21c click here.

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8 COVID-19 Myths

AHA Publisher — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 07:00:42 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – In the age of information, it’s challenging to keep everything straight with any disease, even those that have been around for centuries. As for a new virus unknown to humans before? Almost impossible. There’s a lot of information out there, and unfortunately, a lot of it is misinformation and COVID-19 myths. In fact, due to the rapid onset of this pandemic, and even the possible mutations of the virus itself, information has been false, or at least not currently. Here are 8 COVID-19 myths as we know at this time. As you continue to follow recommendations and information online, be sure to look for up-to-date postings. 8 COVID-19 Myths 1. MYTH: COVID-19 IS NO WORSE THAN THE SEASONAL FLU There were many initial reports pointing out how many die every year from flu to reduce worry about COVID-19. However, we now know that COVID-19 has a higher transmissibility rate and a higher case fatality rate – about 10-20 times that of the seasonal flu. And, the bigger issue is our lack of established immunity as humans. The COVID-19 virus is a novel coronavirus; it was not previously found in humans, but only animals. As humans, we don’t have an immunity to it, so it’s more difficult for our bodies to respond quickly enough to fight the initial infection and/or progression of it. 2. MYTH: SENIORS AND THE ELDERLY ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO SHOULD TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS. While the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions are a risk of being most severely sick, people of all ages can become sick with COVID-19. Although a lot of initial data indicated that only a very low percentage of children get COVID-19 (<1% in China) (1), many now think that their symptoms were simply so mild they were not suspected of having it, but may have passed it onto others. What’s more, infants under 1 year of age had about the same mortality rate as the elderly in at least one study on the Chinese population. Since children may be able to spread this coronavirus without even showing symptoms (see below), and can still potentially face difficult symptoms, everyone should take precautions no matter their age. 3. MYTH: YOU’RE CONTAGIOUS ONLY IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS. This is one of the biggest issues to containing the spread of COVID-19; there are generally several days between contracting the virus and showing symptoms, and you can spread it before symptoms start. What’s more, some people will never have symptoms even though they are carrying the virus, and they can still transfer it to others. In fact, it’s now estimated that up to 10% of the cases in China were transmitted by someone who never had symptoms (2). 4. MYTH: THE VIRUS WILL DISAPPEAR WHEN IT GETS WARMER. While this virus does seem to thrive in colder, dryer environments, there’s no great evidence that it will die off due to warmer weather. Unfortunately, there are known cases in warm environments around the world already. 5. MYTH: STAYING AT HOME IS NECESSARY ONLY IF YOU’RE SICK. Earlier in the pandemic, the recommendation was to stay home if you had symptoms. Now that we know you can carry and spread COVID-19 even if you don’t have symptoms, it’s imperative that almost everyone stays home to stop the spread. As we avoid physical contact and close proximity with anyone outside our home, we’re hoping to reduce transmission from airborne particles from spittle, sneezes, coughs, etc. 6. MYTH: EVERYONE’S SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19 ARE SIMILAR. While the COVID-19 virus is especially harmful to the respiratory system, the reported symptoms and severity of each have varied widely. Many people experience headaches, muscle aches, and fever. For others, it’s almost entirely respiratory symptoms. At least one study has stated that approximately 50% of 200 patients studied in the original Wuhan China outbreak also experience gastrointestinal symptoms including diarrhea (3). 7. MYTH: COVID-19 ONLY LIVES IN THE AIR MINUTES AFTER A SNEEZE OR COUGH After a sneeze of a cough, the COVID-19 virus can actually live in the air for up to 3 hours. In fact, scientists have confirmed that it is detectable in aerosols for hours. Think about that. Hours before you enter a store or building, the virus could be coughed into the air and still be there when you breathe it. What’s more, it can live on cardboard for a day, and plastic and stainless steel for 3 days. The amount of virus does diminish on the surface over these timeframes (4). While there’s not much you can do about what happens to the air hours before you arrive somewhere, here’s what you can do: Stay home as much as possible to minimize your risk If you’re at high risk of severe symptoms, wear a mask Wear gloves or sanitize your hands before and after all interactions with public surfaces and spaces 8. MYTH: ONCE YOU’VE HAD COVID-19, YOU ARE SAFE AND WILL NOT GET IT AGAIN. Unfortunately, this is not known for sure. But, experts suspect that immunity to COVID-19 is similar to other common coronavirus colds, and is likely short-term. The takeaway? Even if you’ve have COVID-19 and are recovered, still practice all the same precautions as are recommended for everyone else. Stay home. Practice social distancing. Wash hands and sanitize. Bottom Line While a lot of the truth that’s coming out from new studies is scary, the more correct information we have the better equipped we are to avoid and fight this virus. COVID-19 myths are rampant, but the recommendations are clear. Stay home, wash hands, and sanitize. Stay diligent and don’t let up your precautions. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Colbert click here.

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