Symptoms of coronavirus: Can you tell if your cold or flu is actually Covid-19?

Covid-19 – the name given to coronavirus by the World Health Organisation (WHO) – has officially reached London.

The first diagnosed case was a Chinese national on Wednesday 12 February, making them the ninth person in the UK confirmed to have the virus.

Since then, nearly 800 people have been tested across the country due to fears the virus could already be on the London Underground.

Rather than listening to misinformation and increasing the potential risks of coronavirus, it’s better to deal with the facts.

What symptoms should you watch out for and how should you react if you’re concerned about coronavirus?

What are the symptoms of coronavirus?

Part of the worrying element for some is the difficulty in distinguishing symptoms of coronavirus to that of the common cold or flu.

The NHS lists the three main symptoms of coronavirus:

• A cough
• A high temperature
• Shortness of breath

Because these symptoms are very similar to a regular cold, it’s important to know when to double-check and not just assume you’ll get over it in a few days.

What’s the difference between a cold or flu and coronavirus?

Using the latest information available at time of publishing, the key difference is whether or not you have come across someone who is infected, or have visited any of the affected regions in the last 14 days.

According to the NHS website, you should call 111 if…

• You’ve been to Wuhan or Hubei Province in China in the last 14 days – even if you have no symptoms.
• You’ve visited mainland China, including Macau and Hong Kong, in the last 14 days and have shown signs of any of the symptoms, even if mild.
• You’ve visited Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Republic of Korea or Malaysia in the last 14 days and have any of the symptoms, even if mild.
• You’ve been in contact with someone with confirmed coronavirus.