RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Health authorities worldwide have stated that the main symptoms of the Covid-19 are a persistent cough, fever, and shortness of breath.
However, a team of US scientists now claim that those infected with the virus may initially suffer from stomach pain even before experiencing other symptoms typically associated with the flu.
A new study, published in the scientific journal American Journal of Gastroenterology, suggests that individuals may initially be affected by gastrointestinal issues when infected with the novel coronavirus.
For the purpose of this study, researchers analyzed data from 204 Covid-19 patients in the Hubei province in China and found that 48.5 percent of these individuals had come to hospitals with digestive system disorders, including diarrhea, vomiting or abdominal pain.
Researchers say that, for some people, gastrointestinal disorders may emerge at an early stage of infection even before respiratory symptoms.
Additionally, individuals examined in the study also displayed more severe forms of the Covid-19.
Brennan M.R. Spiegel, one of the editors-in-chief of the American Journal of Gastroenterology, said: “In this study, Covid-19 patients with digestive disorders recorded greater complications and a higher risk of mortality, compared to those without gastrointestinal disorders, thus underlining the relevance of including symptoms such as diarrhea in the screening and early diagnosis of the disease, even before respiratory disorders occur”.
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