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Not chest, it’s belly: Diarrhoea, vomiting new coronavirus symptoms

Doctors said that the new coronavirus symptoms -- added by the CDC to the list in April-end -- have prompted the need to step-up the treatment and also test those people who are suffering from new symptoms and not just common ones.

In April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added six more coronavirus symptoms to its list -- including diarrhoea, headache and vomiting. Now when the doctors are coming across these new symptoms in fresh cases, concerns are being raised over the delay in treatment of people with these symptoms.

According to a report by Deccan Chronicle, doctors at Chest and King Koti hospitals in Hyderabad said that that the new symptoms -- severe diarrhoea, headache and vomiting -- are delaying the process of diagnosis and treatment.

Doctors said that the new symptoms have prompted the need to step-up the treatment and also test those people who are suffering from new symptoms and not just the common ones. They further said that the common symptoms -- cough, fever and breathlessness -- are not being noted in patients as earlier, while new symptoms are creating confusion.

Some of the doctors have also pointed out that the novel coronavirus is changing its genomic structure according to the season to ensure its survival.

The news report quoted a senior doctor as saying: "These cases are presented as caused due to food-poisoning and seasonal change leading to stomach upset. But it is the virus which is attacking gastro-intestinal track first instead of lungs. It is presented in the form of severe diarrhoea and vomiting causing dehydration. This, in turn, leads to weakness, lower oxygen level, low BP, low sugar and sudden collapse."

This has raised concerns as people who have upset stomach are not going to suspect coronavirus infection for it has not been a symptom of the infection.
The report further said that there are 67 cases from June 20 to June 30. Of these, 30 deaths were caused within a few hours after their admission to the hospital and the symptoms in these cases are not the regular ones

The CDC updated its list of coronavirus symptoms, adding six more to it:

1. Chills
2. Repeated shaking with chills
3. Muscle pain
4. Headache
5. Sore throat
6. New loss of taste or smell

Here are all the coronavirus symptoms listed by the CDC:

1. Fever or chills
2. Cough
3. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
4. Fatigue
5. Muscle or body aches
6. Headache
7. New loss of taste or smell
8. Sore throat
9. Congestion or runny nose
10. Nausea or vomiting
11. Diarrhoea