A symptom of the coronavirus is missing from the NHS 's freshly updated list, but has been by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
All sorts of symptoms have been listed since the virus broke out in late 2019. Spreading across the globe, its variants have brought with them different kinds of symptoms - some of which are more common than others.
Despite this, some commonly reported symptoms are still not listed as official symptoms on the NHS website and the health service says the "symptoms are very similar to symptoms of other illnesses, such as colds and flu".
It recently added the nine new symptoms to its official list, which was unchanged since the start of the pandemic in 2020.
A high temperature and chills, continuous cough and a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste continue to be listed as the main symptoms of Covid.
This is along with shortness of breath, feeling sick, fatigue, aches, sore throat, headaches, runny nose, loss of appetite and diarrhoea all being reported as well.
One symptom is not officially listed, so what is it?
Is confusion a sign of Covid?
The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and WHO both list confusion as a symptom of coronavirus.
Under the WHO list, confusion is listed as a 'serious symptom' and anyone suffering from this should "seek immediate medical attention".
Confusion is listed alongside difficulty breathing, shortness of breath and chest pain in this category.
The CDC's list "doe not include all possible symptoms", but also warns people that should they or a loved one with Covid report feeling confused, then it is time to call for emergency attention.
The NHS does not list it as an official symptom at the moment but does have a guide on what to do when a person comes confused.
It describes delirium as when a person:
- Is not be able to think or speak clearly or quickly
- Does not know where they are
- Is struggling to pay attention or remember things
- Sees or hears things that are not there
Confusion is also confused with 'brain fog', which is a symptom of Long Covid.
What is brain fog?
Brain fog is when a person has problems with their memory or concentration and this is recognised as a symptom of Long Covid.
Some people who have had Covid have reported they continue to suffer from health problems, despite testing negative after fighting off the disease.
Symptoms of Long Covid can include:
- Lack of concentration
- Thinking slowly
- Confusion
- Forgetfulness
- Feeling tired mentally
NHS Inform said: "Brain fog can feel similar to the effects of sleep deprivation or stress. It's not the same as dementia and does not mean structural damage to the brain."
People with Long Covid should speak to their GP if their brain fog is not improving, is affecting daily life, or they are worried about how it is affecting them.
