There is a new symptom to look out for to help determine if you may have covid.
While fatigue, a sore throat, and headaches are known as the most common signs of coronavirus, an upset stomach is also appearing in a lot of cases where the patient has also been vaccinated. Data from millions of ZOE Health Study app contributors has shown that diarrhoea can be a symptom of the pandemic virus.
Data shows that there was a rise in people reporting this symptom in January 2022, and that some of this was related to the Omicron variant. However, ZOE said: "there also seemed to be a wave of other non-covid tummy bugs going around too."
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They added: "Diarrhoea is an early sign of covid, starting on the first day of infection and building in intensity during the first week. It usually lasts for an average of two to three days, but can last up to seven days in adults. Some people can suffer from ongoing bouts of covid-related diarrhoea, and these are commonly reported in people with long covid."
ZOE think that covid causes diarrhoea because the virus can invade cells in the gut and disrupt its normal function. The virus can be transmitted through poo and contaminated surfaces or hands so it is critically important to wash your hands thoroughly and regularly clean bathrooms if you, anyone you live with or someone you’re caring for has diarrhoea to prevent the infection spreading.
In the first wave, nearly a third of adults aged over 35 (30%) reported experiencing diarrhoea with covid. However, the reports fell with subsequent variants and vaccination, with up to one in five people (16-20%) experiencing diarrhoea with either Delta or Omicron if they have had either two or three doses of the vaccine.
The NHS website says that you should keep hydrated and take small sips of water or juice if you feel sick. You should also stay at home and get plenty of rest.
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