Covid: Duration of fever in current surge shorter, say experts

PUNE: A key takeaway that has emerged by analysing new Covid cases in the past three weeks is that the fever duration in the current surge of the pandemic has been much shorter than that of the Delta wave, Maharashtra Covid task force members observed. Another major observation by the experts is that the chest CT scan reports are also showing normal results in most patients affected by the virus this time.
Covid-19 task force member Dr Shashank Joshi told TOI, “A significant difference between the current Covid surge and the Delta wave is that the former has in most cases mainly upper respiratory tract symptoms with fever duration much shorter, sometimes as short as 72 hours. Delta was associated with high-grade fever stretching over a long time.” Dr Joshi said clinical features of Omicron (from the cases seen in the past three weeks) were painful/ burning/ sore /scratchy throat, fever, headache or body ache, cough (occasionally productive), stuffy nose, nausea or bloating, myalgia and persistent fatigue lasting for two to five days.

Dr Vasant Nagvekar, consultant (infectious diseases) and a member of Maharashtra’s Covid-19 task force, said, “Though chest CT scans are not advisable for the mild Covid patients, results of 90-95% of those opting for the test are normal. During the Delta wave, chest CT scan results of a majority of the moderate to severe patients were abnormal. The current surge is suggesting mild upper respiratory illness with fever lasting for 48-72 hours.”
Dr Nagvekar added that at his hospital, none of the Covid patients was currently on oxygen support.
Dr Zirpe said in the current surge, the patients were witnessing one or two spikes in fever, and that too low grade fever around 99-100°F, which settles down in two to three days.