Sore throat and runny nose are now the two most common symptoms reported among COVID-19 patients, according to new data from the U.K.'s ZOE Health Study.
Tim Spector, MD, a professor of genetic epidemiology at Kings College London, oversees the research effort, which collects COVID-19 data through an app people use to track their symptoms.
In the 30-day period ending Dec. 5 — when the omicron subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 were gaining dominance — the 10 most common symptoms patients reported were:
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Blocked nose
- Sneezing
- Cough without phlegm
- Headache
- Cough with phlegm
- Hoarse voice
- Muscle aches and pains
- Altered sense of smell
Symptoms have changed throughout the pandemic amid the emergence of new variants and the introduction of vaccines, researchers said. Fever and loss of smell, once hallmark signs of a COVID-19 infection, now rank as the 10th and 14th most common symptoms, respectively, the data shows.