Covid Severity Much Lower Now, But 3 Symptoms Remain, Says New York Doctor

A health expert has said that the severity of coronavirus has decreased significantly, and cases are noticeably weaker than previous waves, but highlighted three symptoms that are still prevalent. Speaking to NBC News, Dr Erick Eiting said that the virus has become so light that it is hard to tell if a person has Covid or common cold. The virus caused a global pandemic more than three years ago, leading to tight curbs on travel and severely impacting our immunity.

But now, the symptoms are mild, said Dr Erick Eiting, who is vice chair of operations for emergency medicine at Mount Sinai Downtown.

"The only way that we knew that it was COVID was because we happened to be testing them," Dr Eiting added.

He, however, noted that current symptoms mostly include congestion, some sneezing and a mild sore throat.

A long-term study published in The Lancet had linked sore throat with Covid, saying the symptom increased after the spread of the Omicron variant in 2021.

Another health expert, Dr Grace McComsey from Case Western University, told NBC News that a loss in taste and smell now only impacts around 10-20 per cent of Covid patients as opposed to 60-70 per cent during the early pandemic.

Both the doctors also said that fewer patients compared to last year are in need of intense hospital care.

Coronavirus causes illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). It is known to have originated in Wuhan, China in late 2019.