Medical Experts in Lucknow label fatigue & platelet drop as lesser-known initial signs of COVID-19

Several doctors and medical experts from Lucknow have now warned the masses of the less common but equally fatal symptoms of the COVID-19 infection. While general influenza-like symptoms are more prevalent, Professor Santosh Kumar, Respiratory Medicine Department at Lucknow's KGMU, has informed that a drop in the platelet count, which is common in any viral condition, can also be a sign of the coronavirus.

Similarly, medical professionals across the global spectrum have pointed out that the other lesser-known symptoms of COVID-19 include diarrhoea, red eyes, rashes and fatigue. It has been stressed that extreme fatigue or a sudden drop in blood platelets are telltale signs of this infection and any such condition or symptom, should be followed with a COVID test.

The expert opinions

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Medical experts in Lucknow said that there have been over a dozen cases where the patients experienced extreme fatigue but did not consult a doctor. It is only when their condition worsened, the blood test reports showed a drastic drop in the platelet count. Soon, the patients started to develop breathing problems and many of them have also succumbed to the COVID attack without oxygen support.

Dr. Vikram Singh, faculty at the Department of Medicine in Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, said, "Extreme fatigue and malaise are among the symptoms of viral fever. And since, Covid is also a type of viral people can experience both the symptoms with fever in Covid also."

The faculty member highlighted that a normal person's average platelet count ranges between 1.5 lakh to 4.5 lakh per litre of blood and in some cases, it drops to 75,000 to 85,000 per litre. Patients often confuse the dropping platelet count as dengue fever or other diseases."We suggest if a person is feeling exhausted and extremely tired. They must get tested for Covid-19.", he added.

Identify the symptoms of COVID-19

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The following listed conditions are identified as symptoms of COVID-19 as per the WHO:

Common symptoms:

• Fever
• Dry cough
• Fatigue

Less common; may affect some patients:

• Loss of taste or smell,
• Nasal congestion,
• Conjunctivitis (also known as red eyes)
• Sore throat,
• Headache,
• Muscle or joint pain,
• Different types of skin rash,
• Nausea or vomiting,
• Diarrhoea,
• Chills or dizziness.

Symptoms of severe COVID‐19 disease include:

• Shortness of breath,
• Loss of appetite,
• Confusion,
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest,
• High temperature (above 38 °C).

Other less common symptoms are:

• Irritability,
• Confusion,
• Reduced consciousness (sometimes associated with seizures),
• Anxiety,
• Depression,
• Sleep disorders,
• More severe and rare neurological complications such as strokes, brain inflammation, delirium and nerve damage.