Symptom tracker app reveals six distinct types of Covid-19 infection

British scientists analysing data from a widely-used Covid-19 symptom-tracking app have found there are six distinct types of the disease, each distinguished by a cluster of symptoms. File picture: IANS

British scientists analysing data from a widely-used Covid-19 symptom-tracking app have found there are six distinct types of the disease, each distinguished by a cluster of symptoms. File picture: IANS

Published Jul 19, 2020

Share

London - British scientists analysing

data from a widely-used Covid-19 symptom-tracking app have found

there are six distinct types of the disease, each distinguished

by a cluster of symptoms.

A King's College London team found that the six types also

correlated with levels of severity of infection, and with the

likelihood of a patient needing help with breathing - such as

oxygen or ventilator treatment - if they are hospitalised.

The findings could help doctors to predict which Covid-19

patients are most at risk and likely to need hospital care in

future waves of the epidemic.

"If you can predict who these people are at Day Five, you

have time to give them support and early interventions such as

monitoring blood oxygen and sugar levels, and ensuring they are

properly hydrated," said Claire Steves, a doctor who co-led the

study.

Besides cough, fever and loss of smell - often highlighted

as three key symptoms of Covid-19 - the app data showed others

including headaches, muscle pains, fatigue, diarrhoea,

confusion, loss of appetite and shortness of breath.

The outcomes also varied significantly; some got mild,

flu-like symptoms or a rash and others suffered acute symptoms

or died.

The study, released online on June 16 but not peer-reviewed

by independent scientists, described the six Covid-19 types as:

- 'Flu-like' with no fever: Headache, loss of smell, muscle

pains, cough, sore throat, chest pain, no fever. 

- 'Flu-like' with fever: Headache, loss of smell, cough, sore

throat, hoarseness, fever, loss of appetite. 

- Gastrointestinal: Headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite,

diarrhoea, sore throat, chest pain, no cough. 

- Severe level one, fatigue: Headache, loss of smell, cough,

fever, hoarseness, chest pain, fatigue. 

- Severe level two, confusion: Headache, loss of smell, loss of

appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore throat, chest pain,

fatigue, confusion, muscle pain.

- Severe level three, abdominal and respiratory: Headache, loss

of smell, loss of appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore

throat, chest pain, fatigue, confusion, muscle pain, shortness

of breath, diarrhoea, abdominal pain.

Patients with level 4,5 and 6 types were more likely to be

admitted to hospital and more likely to need respiratory

support, the researchers said. 

Related Topics:

coronavirus