Runny nose, cough, sore throat, and fever: Symptoms are often similar when one starts to feel sick. That makes it difficult to tell if the illness is a virus or a bacterial infection.
At first glance, symptoms for the new corona-virus, otherwise known as 2019-nCoV or SARS-CoV-2, are similar to those we associate with the common cold or the flu.
Common corona-virus symptoms can include:
- Fever
- Dry cough
Other symptoms that sometimes occur:
- Muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Sore throat
- Shortness of breath
- Headache
Less typical corona-virus symptoms:
- Phlegm buildup
- Runny nose
- Diarrhea
- Hemoptysis
Symptoms atypical for coronavirus:
- Sneezing
A runny nose and a sore throat are typical signs of an upper respiratory tract infection. Therefore, those who have bouts of sneezing and get the sniffles likely have the flu or a common cold.
As the new coronavirus generally affects the lower respiratory tract, most of those infected exhibit a dry cough, shortness of breath or pneumonia, and sometimes a sore throat.
Many initially show no symptoms
Many of those infected with the new virus initially showed no symptoms. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), a German government disease control and prevention agency, the new virus has an incubation period of 14 days.
If you are not sure what you have, you should see a doctor. A health care professional can have a phlegm sample analysis done to determine the presence or absence of respiratory viruses. That will provide clarity for both you and your doctor.
