The number of corona infections has increased sharply again recently. Rising figures require more alertness. For example, you could sometimes confuse a stomach flu with a corona infection, and vice versa. General practitioner Lydia Voorkamp tells more about it.
Worrying figures: the number of corona infections is rising sharply. The RIVM measures this by testing the sewage water for the amount of virus particles. “We have never measured such high numbers in sewage water,” said Health Minister Ernst Kuipers against this site. “You can assume that many hundreds of thousands of people are now infected with corona.”
According to GP Lydia Voorkamp, we always see an increase in pathogenic viruses around this time of year, including the regular influenza (flu), stomach flu (norovirus), the RS virus and therefore also corona. But the coronavirus is constantly mutating, causing different variants to emerge every time. The latest variant is called Pirola.
New variant corona
The symptoms of a Pirola infection do not differ much from the classic symptoms of Covid. Research shows that this variant can cause more eye damage, facial rashes, diarrhea and fatigue. However, no research has yet confirmed this.
Voorkamp hears from her patients that Pirola causes more stomach and intestinal complaints than the other variants. “I can imagine that when people experience complaints such as abdominal cramps, diarrhea and vomiting, they do not initially think of a corona infection. But it is important to also think about corona when experiencing abdominal complaints. The clear difference is that corona usually also involves respiratory complaints.”
If you do not experience respiratory complaints, only a corona test can provide a definitive answer. Because testing is no longer the order of the day, you may only have old corona tests at home. How can you be sure that the result is correct? “If your test is positive and you have complaints, you can assume that the result is correct. If you test negative but have doubts, take measures. Keep your distance, wash your hands regularly and work from home when possible,” says Voorkamp.
Not just any cold
Are you now thinking: corona is just a cold, isn’t it? Then Voorkamp says: “No, certainly not. Whether you experience mild complaints from corona or become very ill from it, no one is happy about being sick. Even if a corona infection is mild, you can subsequently develop post-covid complaints. And they can really hinder you in your life.”
With post-covid or long-covid, you still experience complaints such as:
“The annoying thing is that there is no solution yet for these complaints. The investigation is still in progress. If the complaints hinder your life, you can contact an organization such as: C-support or your GP,” says Voorkamp.
This article previously appeared on Margriet’s site.
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2023-12-26 18:15:23
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