After sore throat, the next most common symptoms are headache and stuffy nose, according to the Zoe Covid study. At the beginning of the pandemic, symptoms such as fever or loss of smell were considered among the most characteristic signs of the virus. But now it is one of the least reported symptoms. The study also cites coughing, hoarse voice, sneezing, fatigue and muscle aches as common symptoms. Professor Tim Spector, Zoe scientific co-founder and lead scientist on the Zoe Health Study, said the virus is “still rampant” in the population. He said: “So much so that if you have cold-like symptoms right now you are almost twice as likely to have COVID than a cold.” Because different variants of COVID coexist, such as the Omicron BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5 variants, even people with past infections or who have had a full puncture can get it, Professor Spector said. However, he added, “we are already seeing a slight drop in numbers day by day.” Virus becomes ‘very smart’ Deaths related to COVID have surpassed 200,000 in the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Dr David Nabarro, the WHO’s special envoy on the virus, said it was constantly evolving and becoming “extremely clever”. Dr Nabarro told Sky News’ Kay Burley: “This virus is capable of evolving and changing all the time. “The reason we have growth is that it has changed again and become very smart for us. “It can overcome our immune defenses and that’s why the numbers are going up.” The 20 Covid symptoms reported in the last week by 17,500 people who tested positive were: • Sore throat – 58% • Headache – 49% • Blocked nose – 40% • Cough without phlegm – 40% • Runny nose – 40% • Cough with phlegm – 37% • Hoarse voice – 35% • Sneezing – 32% • Fatigue – 27 %• Muscle aches/pains – 25%• Dizziness – 18%• Swollen neck glands – 15%• Eye pain – 14%• Change in smell – 13%• Chest pain tightness – 13%• Fever – 13% • Chills or chills – 12% Shortness of breath – 11% Ear pain – 11% Loss of smell – 10%
