COVID toes: Potential new coronavirus symptom

COVID toes: Potential new coronavirus symptom

U.S. — American health professionals have observed a new potential coronavirus symptom that appears in the toes of those infected.

According to USA Today, some health professionals treating COVID-19 have noticed purple and blue lesions on the toes of coronavirus patients.

This symptom is now being referred to as 'COVID toes' and can often be observed in patients with severe flu or viral pneumonia.

Ebbing Lautenbach, chief of infectious disease at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Medicine, told USA Today that the symptom could be an inflammatory reaction to an infection in an individual's feet, or a clot in the toes' blood vessels.

Lautenbach said patients exhibiting this symptom tend to be children or young adults who are otherwise asymptomatic and would probably test negative for COVID-19 as the infection is in its early stages.

However, Susan Wilcox, Massachusetts General Hospital's chief of critical care for the emergency department, told USA Today that she mostly observed 'COVID toes' in the most severe cases she was treating.

Doctors around the world have also observed other dermatological symptoms related to COVID-19.

In an April 6 press release, France's National Union of Dermatologists-Venereologists reported that certain dermatological conditions could be related to COVID-19.These include the appearance of pseudo-frostbite of the extremities, transient hives, and sudden onset of persistent, sometimes painful redness.