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Islanders are being urged to keep a lookout for new rashes, conjunctivitis and blocked noses in addition to any of the main covid symptoms.
The new symptoms were added to Jersey’s list of covid warning signs by top pandemic medic Dr Ivan Muscat MBE yesterday to help identify and isolate even more cases.
The types of rashes experienced by covid patients can range from red, sometimes bumpy spots to a hives-like irritation, while others may get chilblains – all of which have been observed in individuals with more “mild” infections.
Others, meanwhile, may experience blisters on their hands or even patchy hair loss – though the latter, Dr Muscat said, tends to occur at a late stage in the infection or even after.
Video: Dr Muscat explaining the new symptoms.
When accompanied by other symptoms, he said leg rashes in children are a sign of more severe infection, but noted that these are “extremely rare”. Among the elderly, purple skin discolouration is also an indication of more serious illness.
Dr Muscat stressed, however, that any rashes are only likely to be associated with covid if they are new and come in combination with the main symptoms of high temperature/fever, new continuous cough, loss or change to sense of smell/taste.
He also noted that such symptoms are “common in young children and may not be indicative of covid”. “However, if parents are concerned that their child has developed these new symptoms and do not seem themselves, they should discuss this with the covid helpline,” he added.
If anyone shows at least one of the main symptoms, that person, and their entire household should isolate immediately and call the covid helpline. No one from the household should go to work, school, shopping or visit any public areas.
If anyone has developed one of the accompanying symptoms, but has none of the three main symptoms, and is concerned that it may be covid-19, they should also call the helpline for advice.
“What we are trying to do is capture as many cases of covid as possible to manage the individual appropriately and prevent transmission as well. We are always trying to refine our definitions and trying to refine our case detection mechanisms to better control covid,” Dr Muscat said.
He said that there was no evidence to suggest that such symptoms were linked to the new variant, which it was confirmed last week is present on the island.
Dr Muscat said it was likely linked to the rocketing cases towards the end of last year and urged islanders to remain vigilant despite the island’s low number of cases now.
As of yesterday, there were just 56 cases in Jersey – an increase of two from the previous day.
The number of active cases in the Island is 56.
— Government of Jersey (@GovJersey) February 9, 2021
32 cases are symptomatic and 24 cases are asymptomatic. 4 are in hospital (+1).
Total Tests
282,399 negative tests (+1,524)
3,187 confirmed positive (+10)
3,074 confirmed recovered (+8)
85 pending
Four of the 10 new cases identified within the 24-hour period were travellers, one tested positive on admission to a health setting, two were discovered through workforce screening, and three via contact tracing.
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