Dan Ackerman/CNET
As the rate of new coronavirus cases climbs and the White House Coronavirus Task Force reconvenes after a nearly two-month break, the US Centers for Disease Control has added new symptoms to its list of signs that a person could have the COVID-19 illness.
“People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported,” the CDC reports, “ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.”
The CDC added congestion or runny nose to the list of now 11 symptoms that may signal someone has COVID-19:
- Congestion or runny nose
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Fever or chills
- Headache
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Muscle or body aches
- Nausea or vomiting
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
The CDC cautions that someone is showing any of these signs to seek emergency medical care immediately:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Bluish lips or face
The expanded list reflects the federal government’s and healthcare officials growing understanding of the virus.
“In all the decades I’ve been involved in chasing infectious diseases, I’ve never seen anything so protean in its ability to make people sick or not,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, during the June 26 task force briefing. “There’s no other infectious disease that goes from 40% of people have no symptoms to some having mild symptoms to some having severe.”
For more, here’s how to protect yourself from coronavirus and what workplaces may look like as society reopens.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.