New variants of Covid-19 have been moving across the country for three years now. Ever since the pandemic was first declared in 2020, there have been different symptoms associated with different waves.
Total Covid-19 infections in the UK have dropped for the fourth week in a row and are now at a level last seen at the start of autumn 2022, figures show. But at present, the so-called 'Kraken' variant - otherwise known as XBB1.5 - is accounting for a large number of cases, reports Manchester Evening News.
Professor Tim Spector, co-founder of the ZOE Health Study, explains that while a sore throat and runny nose are the most common symptoms of Covid right now, a fever may indicate you have the flu instead.
He said: "Less than one in ten people are getting any sort of fever at all. That signifies this increased differentiation between Covid and flu. So it's much more likely if you've got really bad fevers, you've got a flu virus rather than Covid."
What are the most common symptoms of Covid?
Tim highlighted that a fever doesn't even make the top 20 most commonly reported symptoms for Covid. This is why if you have a really bad fever, then it is more likely to be the flu instead of coronavirus.
According to the ZOE health study, the most commonly reported symptoms are as follows:
- Sore throat - 57%
- Runny nose - 57%
- Blocked nose - 56%
- Sneezing - 53%
- Headache - 53%
- Cough with no phlegm - 50%
- Cough with phlegm - 41%
- Hoarse voice - 34%
- Muscle pain aches - 29%
- Dizziness - 19%
Meanwhile, the latest figures by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show total Covid-19 infections in the UK have dropped for the fourth week in a row. A total of 941,800 people in private households in the UK were likely to have had Covid-19 in the week ending January 24, down 15% from 1.1 million the previous week.
However, experts fear there were “concerning” signs the number may be starting to rise and infections are not falling across all age groups - with increases in England among primary and secondary school children and for 35-49 year-olds. Michelle Bowen, ONS head of health surveillance, said that while infections across the UK nations showed “an overall decrease”, there are “differing trends when we look across age groups”.
She added: “In England we have seen increases in school age children and those aged 35-49 years in the latest week, with decreases only seen in over-50s. We will continue to monitor the data closely to see how the situation evolves in the coming weeks.”
