As many as one in five people hit by the Covid-19 virus are showing symptoms of diarrhoea, according to a new report. The ZOE Health Study, which collates patient symptoms, says some people who have contracted the Delta or Omicron variant are experiencing the symptom if they have had two or three Covid vaccines.
“In the Alpha wave, nearly a third of adults aged over 35 (30 per cent) reported experiencing diarrhoea with Covid,” it said. “That’s fallen with subsequent variants and vaccination, with up to one in five people (16 to 20 per cent) experiencing diarrhoea with either Delta or Omicron if they have had either two or three doses of the vaccine.”
The health site says the condition is an “early” sign of Covid and can start on day one of infection and “build in intensity during the first week”. It adds: "It usually lasts for an average of two to three days, but can last up to seven days in adults.
“We think COVID causes diarrhoea because the virus can invade cells in the gut and disrupt its normal function.
“Covid can be transmitted through poo and contaminated surfaces or hands. It’s critically important to wash your hands thoroughly and regularly clean bathrooms if you, anyone you live with or someone you’re caring for has diarrhoea to prevent the infection spreading.”
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