Search icon

Coronavirus

12th Jan 2022

People with Omicron suffer unusual symptom linked to their toilet habits

Danny Jones

Diarrhoea among less common Omicron symptoms

Have you been nipping to the bog more frequently than usual?

As coronavirus cases are still on the increase across the UK and Europe, information surrounding signs of infection are just as important as ever.

Most poignantly, given the variant’s prevalence among the total number of cases across the globe, scientists, health experts and recent infectees alike are now reporting one particular Omicron symptom they have noticed.

The side-effect in question is linked to the bathroom and what kind of experience you’ve been having while visiting the toilet, as diarrhoea is reportedly a more common Omicron symptom than you might think.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) listed diarrhoea among its most recently accounted for SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) symptoms on December 17, reporting that it affected approximately 11 per cent of US cases reported between December 4-8.

John Hopkins University found that approximately 20 per cent of covid-19 cases reported this particular symptom soon after having contracted the virus, noting that those with compromised immune systems were the worst affected by diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and nausea.

Like the NHS, the CDC is urging people to make the most of its own covid symptom checker, as many are still unaware of less common Omicron symptoms like diarrhoea.

You can find a list of the most common Omicron symptoms here, including lesser-known signs that could be an early indicator of infection from this particular strain.

Related links: