Experts have added rashes to the growing list of coronavirus symptoms that consisted of fever, persistent cough, shortness of breath, loss of smell and taste, vomiting, and diarrhea. A recent study has identified five different types of rashes as signs of COVID-19.

While rashes are yet to be listed as an official COVID-19 symptom by the World Health Organization (WHO), the findings of this study suggested that they might appear occasionally and last for several days in some patients.

The five rashes include:

  1. Tiny, flat, and raised red bumps also called Maculopapules is the most commonly found rash which accounted for 47% of the cases. Maculopapules typically lasted around a week and reappeared alongside other symptoms. They were a manifestation of severe infection.
  2. Asymmetrical, chilblain-like lesions around the limbs that could be painful or itchy. Appears mostly in younger COVID-19 patients and they typically lasted for around 12 days and appeared later on and were linked to mild infections. This rash appeared in 19% of COVID-19 cases.
  3. Small itchy blisters found on the limbs and trunk. It was often reported in middle-aged people. It lasted around 10 days and showed up even before symptoms appeared. About 9% of COVID-19 cases experienced it.
  4. Pink or white-colored raised skin areas that appeared like nettle rash accounted for about 19% of COVID-19 cases. They were often reported to be itchy and were found mostly on the body or sometimes on the palms.
  5. Livedo a.k.a. necrosis is a typical sign of poor blood circulation. It was reported only in about 6% of cases. The skin appeared blotchy blue or red in color with a net-like pattern. It was commonly reported in older patients, especially those with severe illness.

The researchers insisted that the above-mentioned rashes could also be due to causes other than COVID-19 and one should seek medical expertise to differentiate between them.

"The relevance of this study is not so much in helping people self-diagnose, but rather to help build our wider understanding of how the infection can affect people," BBC quoted Dr. Ruth Murphy, president of the British Association of Dermatologists as saying.

coronavirus symptoms now include inflammation that can cause blood clots
coronavirus symptoms now include inflammation that can cause blood clots enriquelopezgarre - Pixabay