Fast Facts About the Coronavirus
With the coronavirus causing concerns across the globe, many people may be wondering if their seasonal symptoms are the common cold, flu or something more.
Symptoms for the viral infection include runny nose, headache, cough and fever. And yes, those are also the common symptoms of the flu.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shortness of breath, body aches and chills could be associated with more dangerous types of the coronavirus. In more extreme cases, the virus may cause pneumonia, bronchitis, kidney failure and death.
Symptoms of milder coronavirus cases can be “somewhat indistinguishable” from the flu, Eleanor Fish, an immunology professor at the University of Toronto, told Global News.
At this point, the experts say travel history plays the biggest role in determining whether you have flu or cold-like symptoms versus the coronavirus. If you haven’t traveled to Wuhan, China, you’re likely in the clear.