If you have COVID-19, this is the first symptom you will experience

Symptoms of COVID-19 tend to appear in a specific order, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of Southern California have published a new study, published in the journal Frontier Public Health, which mapped the usual order in which symptoms of the coronavirus appear.

While the main symptoms of the coronavirus are cough, shortness of breath, and fever, the order in which they appear can help detection earlier and possibly help treat patients faster. The study found that fever occurs first, followed by cough and muscle pain. Other symptoms like nausea and vomiting occur afterwards, followed by diarrhea.

“This order is especially important to know when we have cycles of illnesses like influenza that overlap and coincide with COVID-19 infections,” USC professor Peter Kuhn said in a press release. “Doctors can determine what steps to take to care for the patient, and they can prevent the patient’s condition from getting worse.”

Researchers looked at more than 55,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in China using data compiled by the World Health Organization. They also looked at nearly 2,500 cases scattered around the world where they cross-examined the symptoms reported for the flu from 1994 to 1998.

Joseph Larsen, one of the study’s authors, said the study’s results are important.

“The order of symptoms matters. Knowing that each disease progresses differently means doctors can identify sooner if a person likely has COVID-19 or another disease, which can help them make better treatment decisions, ”said Feedback.