As COVID cases skyrocketed across the country last month, news emerged that a more contagious variant of COVID-19 from the UK had landed in the U.S. It is estimated to be up to 70 percent more transmissible – not to mention potentially more deadly, according to the English Prime Minister Boris Johnson—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned that the UK strain could quickly become dominant in the United States in March. To help monitor it, the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) is rushing to gather information about that particular variant – including how to identify it. Read about the symptoms that differentiate this strain and to learn more about where the mutations are appearing in the U.S., find out how many cases of new COVID strains exist in your state.
A new ONS report looked at the symptoms of a random sample of 6,000 patients tested positive for COVID in England between 15 November 2020 and 16 January 2021. The researchers’ objective was to identify which specific symptoms are more or less associated with the new variant when compared to other cases of the virus. Finally, they found that a symptom stood out as being Any less common in the case of the UK strain: loss of taste and smell.
“People with a positive result compatible with the new UK variant were more likely to report any symptoms and classic symptoms, but were less likely to report loss of taste and smell,” explain their findings. “Loss of taste and smell was significantly less common in the new variant.”
Loss of smell was present in 15 percent of the UK’s variant cases, compared to 18 percent of the other cases. Loss of taste was present in 16% of the UK’s variant cases, compared to 18% of other cases. However, although the numbers are statistically significant, the presence or absence of these or any symptoms cannot definitively identify one strain or another at this time.
Wondering what symptoms it is most closely associated with the UK strain? Continue reading for the four symptoms the study identified, and for more essential news from COVID, read The over-the-counter drug that can kill COVID, the study says.
1
Cough
United Kingdom variant: 35 percent of patients
Other variants: 28 percent of patients
And for more information about the signs that your COVID case is a medical emergency, check if you have one of these symptoms, the CDC says go to the hospital now.
two
Fatigue
United Kingdom variant: 32 percent of patients
Other variants: 29 percent of patients
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3
Muscle aches and pains
United Kingdom variant: 25 percent of patients
Other variants: 21 percent of patients
And for more subtle COVID symptoms to watch for, check If you notice this in your mouth, you may have COVID, experts warn.
4
Sore throat
United Kingdom variant: 21.8 percent of patients
Other variants: 19 percent of patients
And for the latest news on how COVID can affect you in the long run, see You may never be able to do that after surviving COVID, Study Warns.