
The World Health Organization (WHO) suggest that if a person shows symptoms that suggest COVID-19, they contact their healthcare provider and self-isolate. Instead, they should call their healthcare provider who can provide up-to-date guidance. This could spread the virus to more people. If a person believes they have symptoms of COVID-19 or they have come into contact with someone who has this disease, they must not visit their doctor.

persistent pain or pressure in the chest.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise that if someone shows any of the following symptoms, they should seek emergency medical care immediately: People with COVID-19 should also follow the latest national guidance on self-isolation. shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.However, if diarrhea or other gastrointestinal problems accompany any of the below symptoms, a person should self-isolate and contact a doctor or healthcare provider. Diarrhea and COVID-19Īround 80% of people who contract COVID-19 will experience mild symptoms that do not requite hospital treatment. Most of the time, infections, travelers’ diarrhea, or some side effects of medications may be responsible for acute diarrhea. In many instances, doctors do not find the reason for acute diarrhea, as cases usually resolve by themselves within 4 days, so finding the cause may not be required. Chronic diarrhea typically lasts at least 4 weeks, but symptoms may be continual, or they could come and go.Ĭhronic diarrhea is triggered by different conditions than those that trigger acute diarrhea.Persistent diarrhea lasts longer than 2 weeks but less than 4 weeks.The NIDDK suggest there are around 179 million U.S. Acute diarrhea is common but typically lasts 1–2 days and goes away on its own.

People with diarrhea due to some infections may also experience: The main symptom of diarrhea is passing loose, watery stools three or more times a day or at a more frequent rate than usual for an individual.Īccording to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a person with this condition may also have one or more of the following symptoms:
#Corona virus symptoms diarrhea how to
How to differentiate from other illnesses Over 22% of study participants said they experienced a loss of appetite, 12% had nausea and vomiting, and 12% had diarrhea, although 89% described these symptoms as mild. In one early study of 116 confirmed COVID-19 patients in the United States, 31.9% reported gastrointestinal symptoms. Some people may experience gastrointestinal issues as the only sign of COVID-19, without more common flu-like symptoms. Sometimes, they can even occur before people develop more common signs of COVID-19, such as a fever or lower respiratory tract symptoms.įor example, one study found that around 10% of patients presented with diarrhea and nausea 1–2 days before developing fever and shortness of breath. However, some studies show that many people with the disease also experience gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Of these, the most common include fever, a cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue. People with COVID-19 report a wide range of symptoms, ranging from mild to severe. Share on Pinterest Image credit: RossHelen/Getty Images
