Coronavirus Update: French, Thai Doctors Think Dermatological Issues Could Be COVID-19 Symptoms

The most commonly reported COVID-19 symptoms include fever, fatigue, cough, and shortness of breath. But, exhibiting these symptoms isn’t enough to confirm an infection from the deadly novel coronavirus. One might need to be tested in order to be certain. But COVID-19 is also seen to be causing other problems. While some doctors have reported a stroke, several others have reported cases experiencing a sudden loss of taste and smell. A dermatological symptom now gets added to the list of unusual signs.

Dermatological manifestations including hives, pseudo-frostbites, and persistent redness have been linked to COVID-19, according to the experts at the French National Union of Dermatologists-Venereologists (SNDV) Organization. They noticed a painful, sudden appearance of redness alongside lesions resulting from temporary urticaria.

The SNDV organized a discussion via a WhatsApp group of over 400 healthcare professionals in France. Skin lesions was listed to be one of the symptoms exhibited by COVID-19 patients. The doctors also highlighted that they may or may not be associated with other typical coronavirus symptoms such as respiratory issues.

Not everyone infected with the coronaviruses develops complications and several of them might not even experience any kind of respiratory problems while fighting off the virus. Even without exhibiting any symptoms, one might still infect other people. That is why COVID-19 patients and those who are suspected should self-isolate themselves.

“Analysis of the many cases reported to SNDV shows that these manifestations can be associated with the novel coronavirus. We are alerting the public and the medical profession in order to detect these potentially contagious patients as quickly as possible,” New York Post quoted the group’s statement.

Although there isn’t any published work yet to demonstrate dermatological symptoms in COVID-19 cases, doctors opined that those exhibiting such dermatological symptoms should seek consultations. Not only because it might be a symptom of COVID-19 but because all dermatological problems should be addressed regardless of what the cause is.

Doctors in Thailand misdiagnosed a COVID-19 patient with dengue fever when he was presented with petechiae and a rash.

“It’s so varied, what we’re seeing, and the rashes being reported can be seen in a variety of other diseases, so there’s not one specific rash reported thus far that says, ‘Yes, this patient has COVID-19’. A big question dermatologists hope to answer is whether the presence of a rash or the type of rash that develops is a clue to the course or severity of the disease. Does having a rash affect prognosis in any way? We don’t know that yet, ” Consult QD quoted Sarah Young, MD, a medical dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic.