Digestive issues might be an early sign of coronavirus

A recent study shows that digestive issues might be an early symptom for people who have contracted COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.CBS News reported that researchers in China found that half of coronavirus patients analyzed experienced digestive symptoms during early onset of the illness.

Researchers from the Wuhan Medical Treatment Expert Group for COVID-19 analyzed 204 patients who were hospitalized between Jan. 18 and Feb. 28. The study, which was published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, determined that many patients experienced digestive issues, including loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting and/or abdominal pain.

The study also concluded that patients with digestive issues did not seek medical care as quickly as the patients who did not experience these symptoms. This is possibly because the lack of respiratory symptoms led them to believe they were not infected with COVID-19.

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