
Is Sore Throat a Sign of Coronavirus?
COVID-19 is a respiratory disease, also known as the coronavirus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the symptoms that develop with COVID-19 can vary. Could a sore throat be a sign of coronavirus?
Common Symptoms
Those with COVID-19 may have a wide range of symptoms. These symptoms may appear two-14 days after exposure to the virus. They may include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
A sore throat can be one symptom of COVID-19, although it isn’t known when exactly this symptom will occur. In other respiratory illnesses, a sore throat is often an early symptom. Since this type of virus is inhaled, it enters your nose and throat first.
Overall, a sore throat isn’t a very common COVID-19 symptom. A study in China, commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO), found that out of more than 55,000 confirmed cases, only 13.9 percent of people reported a sore throat.
If you develop a sore throat or other symptoms of a respiratory infection, rule out COVID-19 by being tested for it.
The information in this blog post is accurate at the time of publication. However, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to change, it's possible that information has changed since being published. While Ochsner Health is trying to keep our blog posts as up-to-date as possible, we also encourage readers to stay informed on news and recommendations by using the CDC website.