COVID-19: Sore throat now the most typical coronavirus symptom, knowledge suggests | UK Information

A sore throat is perhaps the primary symptom that means somebody has developed COVID-19, in keeping with new knowledge.

The subsequent most prevalent signs are headache and blocked nostril, in keeping with the Zoe COVID examine.

At the beginning of the pandemic, signs equivalent to a fever or lack of scent had been thought of among the many most attribute indicators of the virus.

However now they’re among the many least reported signs.

The examine additionally mentions cough, hoarse voice, sneezing, fatigue and muscle aches as frequent signs.

Professor Tim Spector, Zoe scientific co-founder and lead scientist on the Zoe Well being Research, mentioned the virus is “nonetheless rampant” within the inhabitants.

He mentioned: “A lot in order that in case you have any cold-like signs in the intervening time it is practically twice as more likely to be COVID as a chilly.”

As a result of there are numerous COVID variants co-existing, equivalent to Omicron variants BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5, even folks with a previous infections or who’re totally jabbed can catch it, Prof Spector mentioned.

Nonetheless, he added, “we’re already seeing a slight drop in numbers daily”.

Virus changing into ‘too intelligent’

COVID-related deaths have exceeded 200,000 within the UK, in keeping with the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics (ONS).

Dr David Nabarro, WHO’s particular envoy on the virus, has mentioned the it’s always evolving and changing into “too intelligent”.

He instructed Sky Information’ Kay Burley: “This virus is able to always evolving and altering.

“The explanation why we have got a rise is it is modified but once more and it is grow to be too intelligent for us.

“It could actually break previous our immune defences, and that is why the numbers are going up.”

The 20 Covid signs reported within the final week by 17,500 individuals who examined constructive had been:

• Sore throat – 58{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Headache – 49{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Blocked nostril – 40{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Cough no phlegm – 40{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Runny nostril – 40{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Cough with phlegm – 37{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Hoarse voice – 35{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Sneezing – 32{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Fatigue – 27{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Muscle pains/aches – 25{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Dizzy light-headed – 18{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Swollen neck glands – 15{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Eye soreness – 14{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Altered scent – 13{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Chest ache tightness – 13{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Fever – 13{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Chills or shivers – 12{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Shortness of breath – 11{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Earache – 11{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}
• Lack of scent – 10{ab24ffeec902ceefbc5fdafafd943b0c5d12b666e16ef1a5e7125e4fcd74f5fa}