A common cold or the novel coronavirus? How to tell the difference?

Flu season is here. How to tell if it's a common cold, flu or the novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia? According to the National Health Commission, the three diseases have different symptoms:

1. The symptoms of a cold usually include a stuffy nose and low- or middle-grade fevers lasting for one to three days. Common cold seldom affects the whole body.

2. Flu symptoms usually include high fevers lasting for three to five days, severe muscle or body aches and extreme exhaustion.

3. Based on the current information, major symptoms of the novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia are fever, coughing, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Experts say that unlike the cold or flu, the diagnose of the novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia is to a large extent based on the epidemiological history of the patient. So when in doubt, go to see a doctor and mention your recent travel history or any close contact with the coronavirus infected patient.

如何區(qū)別普通感冒和新型肺炎

    目前處在流感高發(fā)季節(jié)，如何區(qū)分普通感冒、流感和新型肺炎？國(guó)家衛(wèi)建委專家表示，三者癥狀有別——

    1. 普通感冒癥狀常出現(xiàn)鼻塞，有時(shí)會(huì)出現(xiàn)1-3天的低中度發(fā)燒。普通感冒一般比較少出現(xiàn)全身性癥狀；

    2. 流行性感冒一般伴有發(fā)熱癥狀，并且為3-5天的明顯高熱癥狀。此外流感常常伴有全身肌肉酸痛、乏力等全身性癥狀；

    3. 新冠肺炎目前觀察來(lái)看，主要癥狀有發(fā)熱、咳嗽、嘔吐和腹瀉等。

    專家表示，和普通感冒不一樣，流感和新冠肺炎的診斷很大程度參考流行病學(xué)史，因此如果懷疑自己為疑似病例就醫(yī)，一定要如實(shí)提供病史。