CDC expands the official list of coronavirus symptoms

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added six new symptoms of Covid-19 to its website as scientists gather more data on the coronavirus and patients show “a wide range of symptoms,” the agency said Friday. 

The previous list of symptoms included fever, cough and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. The CDC now says chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and a sudden loss of taste or smell are also common indicators of the coronavirus.

Emergency warning signs include trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, and bluish lips or face. People experiencing those symptoms should seek medical attention immediately, according to the CDC. 

A research team at King’s college London identified a loss of taste and smell as one of the best ways to detect whether someone has Covid-19, according to a study published earlier this month. Its data analyzed responses of more than 400,000 people who had one or more suspected symptoms of the disease. The results said that 59% of those who tested positive for the virus reported a loss of smell and taste. 

Muscle pain and chills are also commonly observed among those who have the coronavirus. Chris Cuomo, journalist at CNN who contracted the virus, said he experienced “fever, body aches and tremors” on his show.

As the deadly pandemic continues to infect and kill thousands of people globally, hospitals are increasingly seeing developments of unconventional complications in patients such as blood clots, as reported by The Washington Post.

The coronavirus has infected more than 870,400 people in the U.S. and has killed at least 50,031, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Globally, the virus has infected more than 2.7 million people and has killed at least 192,125.