How do you know if you have a respiratory virus?

In Colombia, covid-19 infections have increased in Bogota and some areas in the north and northeast of the country, According to the National Institutes of Health. From the outbreak to October 2023, the number of confirmed cases reached 6,639,916.

Health authorities are asking people to continue to protect themselves, and most importantly, they recommend paying attention to the first symptoms of any respiratory infection.

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Because influenza, Covid-19, and other respiratory illnesses can exhibit similar symptoms, diagnostic testing is necessary to find out the specific cause. It’s even possible for a person to be infected with the flu and COVID-19 viruses at the same time. Therefore, it is crucial to perform differential respiratory diagnostic testing to quickly identify the virus and receive appropriate treatment.

“Distinguishing whether we are infected with SARS-CoV-2 or the influenza virus will allow us to make treatment and isolation decisions to avoid further infection at home, in the workplace and among friends, in addition to better monitoring infections.” said Dr. Oscar Guerra, medical director of Abbott Rapid Diagnostics.

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The most common symptoms of influenza and COVID-19

Unlike the common cold, which develops gradually and is usually mild, the flu tends to come on suddenly. The symptoms are similar to those of Covid-19, making it difficult to tell them apart without testing.

These symptoms may vary slightly depending on a person’s age, but typical symptoms of the flu include: fever lasting 3-4 days, chills, body aches, cough, headache, sore throat, fatigue, and nasal congestion.

When it comes to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, it’s important to remember that symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus.. The most specific symptoms of covid-19 include: muscle pain, malaise, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.