"COVID-19 can present in many ways. I have seen patients who only have symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea, but they usually also have a fever," Jorge Vournas, MD, medical director of the Emergency Department at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance, California, told Health.
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are less common symptoms of COVID-19. Still, when they do occur, they tend to be some of the first symptoms you will experience.
Its host receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which acts as a gateway to infection, has been found to be highly expressed in the gastrointestinal epithelium and may lead to the development of nausea/vomiting.
On June 30, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added three symptoms to its COVID-19 list: Congestion/stuffy nose, nausea and diarrhea. Those three new conditions now join other symptoms identified by the CDC: Fever.
Fever or chills. Cough. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
BMJ: “Covid-19: Runny nose, headache, and fatigue are commonest symptoms of omicron, early data show.”
"One new feature of cases caused by this variant is that it seems to be causing conjunctivitis, or red and itchy eyes, in young patients. This is not something that we've seen with prior strains of the virus," Dr. Binnicker adds. Red itchy eyes in young patients are symptoms of the new omicron variant.
Rest and Drink Fluids
Get plenty of rest and stay well hydrated. Fever, vomiting, and diarrhea can lead to significant dehydration, which can make you feel worse. Keep a big bottle of water by your bed and drink from it frequently. Broth soups, tea with honey, and fruit juice are also good choices.
In infected individuals, the peak viral load occurred on day 5, with the virus first detected in the throat and then rising to significantly higher levels in the nose.
You are most infectious (or contagious) in the first 5 days after your symptoms start. You can also spread COVID-19 in the 48 hours before your symptoms start. If you never have symptoms, consider yourself most infectious in the 5 days after you test positive.
Lack of appetite is the most common symptom, followed by loss or taste and smell. Up to 34% experience diarrhea, lasting an average of 5 days.
Acute nausea is mild and might be a result of a condition that comes suddenly like trauma, food poisoning, car sickness, migraines, overeating, gastroenteritis, hangover, or stomach flu. According to the American Family Physician, acute nausea lasts less than a month.
Vomiting is the body's way of getting rid of harmful substances from the stomach, or it may be a reaction to something that has irritated the gut. One of the most common causes of vomiting in adults is gastroenteritis. This is an infection of the gut usually caused by bacteria or a virus.
People who have flu often feel some or all of these symptoms: Fever* or feeling feverish/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue (tiredness). Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea. This is more common in children.
Symptoms of Omicron can be similar to the original COVID-19 virus and other variants, which can include a combination of the following: fever, cough, congestion, runny nose, headache, sore throat, muscle pains/aches and fatigue. “Fever, cough and headache look to be the most common symptoms from the current data.
A person may have mild symptoms for about one week, then worsen rapidly. Let your doctor know if your symptoms quickly worsen over a short period of time.
Home treatments can help relieve nausea. Drink water, sports drinks, or broths. Juices and soft drinks should be avoided. Eat as tolerated, but only light, bland foods, such as crackers or plain bread to begin with.
To calm your stomach, try following the BRAT diet of eating only bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. Bland foods typically won't irritate your stomach and may help relieve some nausea. You'll also want to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, especially if you've been vomiting.
With most viruses that cause the “stomach flu,” as the infection moves through the stomach and intestines, vomiting stops after about 24 hours.
Your infectiousness is highest 1 day before the start of your symptoms and begins to wane about a week later for most people. The Omicron variant has a shorter incubation period, compared to other variants. For the Omicron variant, the incubation period is 1 to 4 days.
How long do omicron symptoms last? Most people who test positive with any variant of COVID-19 typically experience some symptoms for a couple weeks. People who have long COVID-19 symptoms can experience health problems for four or more weeks after first being infected, according to the CDC.
Can you get Covid-19 twice? Yes, it is possible to get Covid-19 two, three or even more times. Covid reinfections have become more common because of the Omicron variant, and because immunity from previous infection and immunisation has reduced over time.