covid19 symptoms no longer appear to be restricted to the respiratory system patients are presenting with many atypical symptoms head of department of preventive and social medicine at the goa medical college gmc bambolim dr jagdish kakodkar said we have seen patients experience only loss of smell one complained of only loose motions and no fever at all a woman experienced urinary disturbances and another complained of pain in the abdomen that could have easily been mistaken for acidity kakodkar said during a webinar held on saturday some present with just a rash particularly children there were those who came to the eye specialist with conjunctivitis and others with joint pains calf pains hiccups tiredness malaise body ache and some with only an episode of dizziness all these are now considered symptoms of covid19 he said the gmc changed its screening protocol last week after it was observed that fewer people were presenting with typical symptoms of covid19 such as headache fever cough and the general signs of a common cold kakodkar advised consulting ones doctor either in person or telephonically to ascertain whether the symptoms being experienced by the patient could actually be those of covid19 doctors keep educating themselves covid is now a masquerading agent and comes in different forms people who have these kinds of symptoms are under the false impression that they dont have covid they stay at home and land up in hospital only when they develop complications sometimes they die within minutes and hours he saidhe also cautioned people not to neglect any symptoms and advised that those who come into contact with a positive person get tested kakodkar said it is particularly risky for those with cardiovascular disease diabetes chronic respiratory disease hypertension and cancer who test positive to be managed at home the death rate is several fold higher in people with these diseases such patients can be managed at home only if the treating doctor monitors their parameters three times a day checking sugar blood pressure ecg and oximeter readings frequently he said he appealed to people to take special care of the elderly those with comorbidities pregnant women and children below the age of 10 during the pandemic dr kakodkar was speaking at a webinar covid19 safety and prevention organised by damodar college of commerce and economics margao as part of vidya vikas mandals golden jubilee celebrations