COVID-19 Update

World

• New Cases:   533,186 (⬆︎ .79%)
• New Deaths:      8,275 (⬆︎ .54%)

USA

• New Cases:   200,085 (⬆︎ 1.32%)
• New Deaths:      1,537 (⬆︎   .53%)

Still on track for 300,000 dead Americans by the weekend. woo-hoo

Let's review

WaPo:

The covid-19 symptoms to watch out for

Symptoms of covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, can range from mild to severe. The most common include fever, a dry cough or shortness of breath, but there are other indications you could need to be tested or have a conversation with your doctor.

Not everyone experiences the same symptoms, and the order in which they appear can vary. Some people don’t show any symptoms — what health experts call “asymptomatic” cases — but still could spread the virus to others.

Although this list is not inclusive of every possible symptom, it includes what physicians and health experts have determined are the most common. Some of these symptoms will coincide with one another. Symptoms of a coronavirus infection can emerge anywhere from two to 14 days after exposure to the virus.

Fever, cough or shortness of breath

Fever, cough or shortness of breath are the highest-frequency symptoms of covid-19. According to a study of symptoms in about 11,000 adult covid-19 patients, at least one of these symptoms was reported in 93 percent of cases.

Fever or chills

A fever might be the first indication you have a covid-19 infection, according to a recent study that looked at the onset of symptoms.

The fever itself can range from low-grade — maybe only a degree or two higher than normal — to dangerously high. A fever higher than 103 degrees Fahrenheit is considered very high in adults and is a sign of a severe infection.

You can experience chills in which your body feels cold for no apparent reason. It might be a cozy temperature, but you’re still shivering. Chills are most common with a fever, or when a fever is coming on, but they don’t always coincide with fever.

Cough

The coronavirus is a respiratory illness, so cough is a common symptom, and it can also appear early in the infection. A dry, persistent cough can be a red flag that you have covid-19.

Shortness of breath

Along with the cough can come shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.

Covid-19 can sometimes cause pneumonia, according to Panagis Galiatsatos, a pulmonary and critical care physician at Johns Hopkins.

Pneumonia occurs when “air sacs in the lungs fill with fluid, limiting their ability to take in oxygen and causing shortness of breath, cough and other symptoms,” Galiatsatos writes.

Shortness of breath caused by covid-19 can be mild or severe enough to require treatment with supplemental oxygen or a ventilator.

Catch up on the biggest developments in the pandemic at the end of the day with our free coronavirus newsletter

Fatigue or muscle aches

Sometimes the only indication that you might have of a viral infection is a general sickly feeling, or what physicians call fatigue — a persistent exhaustion that isn’t solved by getting more sleep.

In extreme cases, people who have suffered from covid-19 describe having barely enough energy to walk to the bathroom, or to the kitchen for a glass of water.

Some people report muscle aches or general achiness for no other apparent reason.

Fatigue and aches have also been reported by so-called covid-19 “long-haulers,” who continue to experience symptoms of the illness for weeks or months after becoming infected.

Headache

Headache is the most common neurological symptom in covid-19.

Other less-common neurological symptoms could include muscle weakness, tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, dizziness, confusion, delirium, seizures and stroke, according to Harvard Medical School.

Loss or distorted sense of smell or taste

The loss of smell or taste is typically linked to early symptoms of upper-respiratory infections — including previous coronavirus strains — because the virus damages olfactory bulbs that are involved in the sense of smell.

It appears to be more common for people who have covid-19, and it’s possible to lose your sense of smell or taste while experiencing no other symptoms.

Another possible symptom is a distorted sense of smell or taste.

Richard Doty, director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Smell and Taste Center, told The Washington Post that certain distortions, including one that causes everything to have a fecal-like odor, can make common food and drinks revolting, because flavor is tied to sense of smell. “Even water can become unpleasant,” he said.

The distortions are most common in people who are recovering from covid-19 and starting to get their smell back, according to Justin Turner, medical director of Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Smell and Taste Center.

Sore throat, congestion or runny nose

A sore throat, congestion or runny nose are less frequently associated with covid-19, but they still occur in enough cases that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added them to its list.

A runny nose was reported by about 7 percent of adult patients in the study of symptom frequency, while a sore throat was reported by 35 percent.

It can be difficult to determine whether these symptoms are a result of covid-19 or something more benign, such as allergies.

But allergies, which are an overreaction of the immune system to foreign particles, would not trigger things such as a fever, muscle aches or chills, according to Sally Joo Bailey, an allergist at Allergy Associates of Northern Virginia in Arlington. Those are the classic signs of a viral infection, such as covid-19.

Stomach issues

Studies have found that about half of coronavirus patients experience at least one gastrointestinal symptom, which can include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain or discomfort.

In the study of symptom frequency, diarrhea was the most common gastrointestinal-related symptom in adults, and abdominal pain was the least common.

Difference between covid-19 and the flu

A key difference is the transmissivity: The coronavirus spreads more easily than the flu. Public health officials have encouraged everyone to get vaccinated against the flu this year to help ward off a bad flu season superimposed on a pandemic — and having had a flu shot could also help rule it out if you start to experience any of these symptoms.

Ultimately, infectious-disease doctors say most people won’t be able to tell which illness they have. Common warning signs for both include fever, cough, chills and shortness of breath.

The one symptom that’s common with covid-19, but not with the flu, is loss of taste and smell. But not everyone with covid-19 experiences that symptom, and experts warned that someone with allergies or a cold might also struggle to smell because they have a stuffy nose.

Absent a loss of taste or smell, most patients will need a nasal swab to get a proper diagnosis.

What you can do (per CDC)

Steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 if you are sick

If you are sick with COVID-19 or think you might have COVID-19, follow the steps below to care for yourself and to help protect other people in your home and community.

• Stay home except to get medical care
• Stay home. Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home without medical care. Do not leave your home, except to get medical care. Do not visit public areas.
• Take care of yourself. Get rest and stay hydrated. Take over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen, to help you feel better.
• Stay in touch with your doctor. Call before you get medical care. Be sure to get care if you have trouble breathing, or have any other emergency warning signs, or if you think it is an emergency.
• Avoid public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxis.
• Nasal irrigation (neti pot - distilled water with salt or a commercial admixture)

Separate yourself from other people

• As much as possible, stay in a specific room and away from other people and pets in your home. If possible, you should use a separate bathroom. If you need to be around other people or animals in or outside of the home, wear a mask.
• Tell your close contacts that they may have been exposed to COVID-19. An infected person can spread COVID-19 starting 48 hours (or 2 days) before the person has any symptoms or tests positive. By letting your close contacts know they may have been exposed to COVID-19, you are helping to protect everyone.
• Additional guidance is available for those living in close quarters and shared housing.
• See COVID-19 and Animals if you have questions about pets.
• If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, someone from the health department may call you. Answer the call to slow the spread.

Monitor your symptoms

• Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, or other symptoms.
• Follow care instructions from your healthcare provider and local health department. Your local health authorities may give instructions on checking your symptoms and reporting information.
• When to seek emergency medical attention

Look for emergency warning signs* for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, 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

*This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

Call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility: Notify the operator that you are seeking care for someone who has or may have COVID-19.

Call ahead before visiting your doctor

• Many medical visits for routine care are being postponed or done by phone or telemedicine.
• If you have a medical appointment that cannot be postponed, call your doctor’s office, and tell them you have or may have COVID-19. This will help the office protect themselves and other patients.
• If you are sick, wear a mask over your nose and mouth
• You should wear a mask over your nose and mouth if you must be around other people or animals, including pets (even at home).
• You don’t need to wear the mask if you are alone. If you can’t put on a mask (because of trouble breathing, for example), cover your coughs and sneezes in some other way. Try to stay at least 6 feet away from other people. This will help protect the people around you.
• Masks should not be placed on young children under age 2 years, anyone who has trouble breathing, or anyone who is not able to remove the mask without help.

Note: During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical grade facemasks are reserved for healthcare workers and some first responders.

• Cover your coughs and sneezes
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Throw away used tissues in a lined trash can.
• Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Clean your hands often

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. This is especially important after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
• Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry.
• Soap and water are the best option, especially if hands are visibly dirty.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Handwashing Tips

Avoid sharing personal household items

• Do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people in your home.
• Wash these items thoroughly after using them with soap and water or put in the dishwasher.

Clean all “high-touch” surfaces everyday

• Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces in your “sick room” and bathroom; wear disposable gloves. Let someone else clean and disinfect surfaces in common areas, but you should clean your bedroom and bathroom, if possible.
• If a caregiver or other person needs to clean and disinfect a sick person’s bedroom or bathroom, they should do so on an as-needed basis. The caregiver/other person should wear a mask and disposable gloves prior to cleaning. They should wait as long as possible after the person who is sick has used the bathroom before coming in to clean and use the bathroom.
• High-touch surfaces include phones, remote controls, counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, keyboards, tablets, and bedside tables.
• Clean and disinfect areas that may have blood, stool, or body fluids on them.
• Use household cleaners and disinfectants. Clean the area or item with soap and water or another detergent if it is dirty. Then, use a household disinfectant.
• Be sure to follow the instructions on the label to ensure safe and effective use of the product. Many products recommend keeping the surface wet for several minutes to ensure germs are killed. Many also recommend precautions such as wearing gloves and making sure you have good ventilation during use of the product.
• Most EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective.

Complete Disinfection Guidance