The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have added several new symptoms for COVID-19, meaning we’re still learning more about a virus that’s already killed more than 55,000 Americans and more than 207,000 worldwide.
The CDC now says a new loss of taste or smell, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache and a sore throat are all symptoms of the novel coronavirus, joining the previously known symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath.
Those symptoms may appear anywhere between 2 and 14 days after exposure of the virus, the CDC says a person with the following emergency warning signs for COVID-19 should get medical attention immediately:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion or inability to arouse
- Bluish lips or face
The CDC warns, however, that the list above is not inconclusive, and recommends consultation with a doctor for any other symptoms that are “severe or concerning.”
“Call 911 if you have a medical emergency: Notify the operator that you have, or think you might have, COVID-19. If possible, put on a cloth face covering before medical help arrives,” the CDC’s guidelines state.
COVID-19 has killed 219 people in Alabama as of Monday, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. There were 6,429 confirmed cases across the state, and 859 hospitalizations because of the virus.
As of Monday, 908 healthcare workers in Alabama had contracted COVID-19, according to ADPH, and just more than half of the 288 COVID-19 patients who have been treated in ICU’s were put on ventilators.
