The symptoms (type, number and percentage with 95% CI) by region and specific symptoms in the ARIALL and the subgroups (ARICOV and ARIOTH)
| Symptom | ARIALL (n=84) | ARICOV (n=45) | ARIOTH (n=39) | ARICOV versus ARIOTH | ||||
| n | % | n | % (95% CI) | n | % (95% CI) | PR | P value* | |
| Nose and throat | ||||||||
| Sore/scratchy throat | 44 | 52.4 | 23 | 51.1 (38.4 to 68.0) | 21 | 53.9 (40.3 to 72.0) | 0.95 (0.63–1.43) | 0.802 |
| Hoarseness | 16 | 19.1 | 10 | 22.2 (12.9 to 38.4) | 6 | 15.4 (7.4 to 32.1) | 1.44 (0.58–3.62) | 0.424 |
| Blocked/plugged nose | 52 | 61.9 | 26 | 57.8 (45.0 to 74.2) | 26 | 66.7 (53.4 to 83.2) | 0.87 (0.62–1.21) | 0.402 |
| Runny nose | 36 | 42.9 | 17 | 37.8 (26.0 to 55.0) | 19 | 48.7 (35.3 to 67.2) | 0.78 (0.47–1.27) | 0.312 |
| Sinus pressure | 34 | 40.5 | 15 | 33.3 (22.1 to 50.4) | 19 | 48.7 (35.3 to 67.2) | 0.68 (0.41–1.16) | 0.152 |
| Sneezing | 28 | 33.3 | 13 | 28.9 (18.3 to 45.7) | 15 | 38.5 (25.9 to 57.2) | 0.75 (0.41–1.38) | 0.354 |
| Altered/loss sense of smell | 37 | 44.1 | 31 | 68.9 (56.6 to 83.8) | 6 | 15.4 (7.4 to 32.1) | 4.48 (2.10–9.59) | 0.0001 |
| Altered/loss sense of taste | 36 | 42.9 | 29 | 64.4 (51.9 to 80.1) | 7 | 18.0 (9.2 to 35.1) | 3.59 (1.77–7.27) | 0.0001 |
| Chest and neck | ||||||||
| Dry cough | 40 | 47.6 | 23 | 51.1 (38.4 to 68.0) | 17 | 43.6 (30.5 to 62.3) | 1.17 (0.74–1.85) | 0.491 |
| Wet cough | 20 | 23.8 | 13 | 28.9 (18.3 to 45.7) | 7 | 18.0 (9.2 to 35.1) | 1.61 (0.71–3.62) | 0.237 |
| Difficulty in breathing | 31 | 36.9 | 17 | 37.8 (26.0 to 55.0) | 14 | 35.9 (23.6 to 54.6) | 1.05 (0.60–1.85) | 0.859 |
| Fast breathing or shortness of breath | 29 | 34.5 | 17 | 37.8 (26.0 to 55.0) | 12 | 30.8 (19.2 to 9.3) | 1.23 (0.67–2.24) | 0.500 |
| Chest pain/pressure | 25 | 29.8 | 14 | 31.1 (20.1 to 48.1) | 11 | 28.2 (17.1 to 46.5) | 1.10 (0.57–2.14) | 0.771 |
| Chest tightness | 23 | 27.4 | 14 | 31.1 (20.1 to 48.1) | 9 | 23.1 (13.0 to 40.9) | 1.35 (0.66–2.77) | 0.409 |
| Headache | 54 | 64.3 | 35 | 77.8 (66.5 to 90.9) | 19 | 48.7 (35.3 to 67.2) | 1.60 (1.12–2.28) | 0.005 |
| Red/watery/scratchy eyes | 19 | 22.6 | 10 | 22.2 (12.9 to 38.4) | 9 | 23.1 (13.0 to 40.9) | 0.96 (0.44–2.13) | 0.926 |
| Whole body | ||||||||
| Fever | 22 | 26.2 | 17 | 37.8 (26.0 to 55.0) | 5 | 12.8 (5.7 to 29.1) | 2.95 (1.20–7.25) | 0.008 |
| Chills | 24 | 28.6 | 17 | 37.8 (26.0 to 55.0) | 7 | 18.0 (9.2 to 35.1) | 2.10 (0.98–4.54) | 0.042 |
| Excessive fatigue | 62 | 73.8 | 35 | 77.8 (66.5 to 90.9) | 27 | 69.2 (56.2 to 85.3) | 1.12 (0.87–1.46) | 0.375 |
| General muscle aches and pains | 40 | 47.6 | 24 | 53.3 (40.6 to 70.1) | 16 | 41.0 (28.2 to 59.8) | 1.30 (0.82–2.07) | 0.259 |
| Skin rash† | 5 | 6.0 | 4 | 8.9 (3.5 to 22.7) | 1 | 2.6 | – | |
| Abdominal pain† | 14 | 16.7 | 12 | 26.7 (16.4 to 43.3) | 2 | 5.1 | – | |
| Nausea | 16 | 19.1 | 9 | 20.0 (11.2 to 35.9) | 7 | 18.0 (9.2 to 35.1) | 1.11 (0.46–2.71) | 0.811 |
| Vomiting† | 6 | 7.1 | 3 | 6.7 | 3 | 7.7 | – | |
| Diarrhoea | 13 | 15.5 | 9 | 20.0 (11.2 to 35.9) | 4 | 10.3 (4.1 to 26.0) | 1.95 (0.65–5.84 | 0.233 |
| Loss of appetite | 35 | 41.7 | 25 | 55.6 (42.8 to 72.2) | 10 | 25.6 (15.0 to 43.8) | 2.17 (1.19–3.93) | 0.005 |
*χ2 test.
†Symptoms where the numbers were too small to analyse between groups or produce CIs.
ARI, acute respiratory illness; ARICOV, acute respiratory illness COVID-19 subgroup that is the combined ARICOV+ve and ARICOV-S subgroups.; ARIOTH, acute respiratory illness Other subgroup; PR, prevalence ratio.