Pink-eye could be a symptom of severe COVID-19: study

As of April 2, over 9.5 lakh people all over the world have been infected with the novel coronavirus - SARS-CoV-2. Over 48,000 of those infected have died while over 2 lakh have successfully recovered. Researchers all over the world are working tirelessly to find out more about SARS-CoV-2 (which causes COVID-19) since we can’t hope to fight something we don’t fully understand. This is why, as we go along, we learn something new about COVID-19 almost every day. Today, it happed to be a new symptom of the infection caused by the novel coronavirus - pink-eye.   [caption id=“attachment_7769251” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Image source: Getty Images.[/caption]

What we knew so far

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), common symptoms of COVID-19 include dry cough, fever and tiredness. This combination of symptoms is why many parallels are drawn with the flu, even though COVID-19 seems to be more deadly. Other symptoms include runny nose, sore throat, body ache and diarrhoea. Severe cases can also develop breathing problems.   Many infected might also have extremely mild or no symptoms at all - they are referred to as asymptomatic cases. Identifying these cases can be a challenging task.   Over a week ago, a statement by the presidents of the British Rhinological Society and of ENT UK, suggested that loss of smell may be another symptom of COVID-19. The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery presented a similar theory, adding that there may also be a subsequent loss of taste in COVID-19 patients.  

New symptom: pink-eye

The latest study, conducted in China, included 38 patients and was published in  JAMA Ophthalmology  on March 31.   The only relation between COVID-19 and the eyes so far has been that eyes can be a transmission route for the virus. The ocular mucous membrane makes it possible for the novel coronavirus to be transmitted into the body through the eyes. Nothing about how the disease may present or affect the eyes had been established yet. Conjunctivitis generally presents as redness, swelling and watering of the eyes. Of all the participants, 12 showed the symptoms of conjunctivitis, which is also known as pink-eye: 11 of the 12 also tested positive for COVID-19 through a nose swab. And of these, two tested positive through both nose and eye swabs.   What may be of even more relevance is that these symptoms often occurred in more severe cases. The study also raises questions about whether the virus could be shed through ocular secretions (tears).   For more information, read our article on   COVID-19: Symptoms, Causes, Transmission, Prevention and Treatment_._ Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.