Stomach bug could be COVID-19, expert says
COVID-19 community transmission has been high during the sixth wave, with differing symptoms and questions about treatment.
Dr. Sohail Gandhi, a Stayner physician and former president of the Ontario Medical Association, notes some symptoms to be mindful of and how to treat them.
CHANGING SYMPTOMS
Dr. Gandhi cited increased abdominal symptoms, including stomach pain, nausea and diarrhea in the sixth wave.
He says fever, aches, and body chills are still common among positive COVID-19 patients but says signs of infection have changed.
"There seems to be less in the way of losing your sense of smell. I mean, that was really quite prominent with Alpha to Delta," he says.
"I would say watch out for stomach bug symptoms as well. If you think you got the stomach flu, there's a chance it could still be COVID, and you should get tested."
LONG COVID
The physician says it appears that personal genetic makeup accounts for why some people suffer from the virus more than others.
"The main issue is that at this point, we still don't understand why it affects some people harder than others. We still, unfortunately, don't know why some people get long COVID compared to other people."
Dr. Gandhi says vaccination is still the best option to combat potentially severe outcomes.
"What we do know is regardless of whether you're at risk for long COVID or hospitalization, if you get immunized, your chance of getting either of the two are significantly lessened."
SICK AT HOME
For those dealing with symptoms of COVID-19 at home, Dr. Gandhi says, "listen to your grandmother's advice."
He recommends lots of fluids, rest and Tylenol for fever, adding, "this shall pass."
Dr. Gandhi says the sixth wave is "towards the end."
"Hospitalization numbers are dropping significantly. They never got up as high as some people were concerned about, so we are truly toward the end of the sixth wave."
However, he believes COVID-19 will be an annual virus going forward.
"It's going to be like the flu where you have this every year, and you take precautions at different points in time to deal with it," he finishes.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6951886.1720127955!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
ANALYSIS Why are Trudeau and Singh avoiding Stampede this year?
This year, only Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre will be saddling up for the event, while both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh will stay away.
Protesters smash windows at McGill University; police use tear gas to disperse crowd
Montreal police deployed tear gas as they dispersed a crowd of protesters participating in a pro-Palestinian demonstration after members of the group smashed windows at McGill University Friday evening.
Canada's Davies scores shootout penalty to bury World Cup demons
Canada captain Alphonso Davies banished memories of his penalty miss at the 2022 World Cup by confidently converting a spot-kick in a shootout victory over Venezuela in the Copa America quarter-finals on Friday.
Stay away from hogweed: What you need to know about these pesky and dangerous plants
Hogweed is harmful to humans and, experts say, the invasive species has become a growing problem in southern Ontario.
Reformist Pezeshkian wins Iran's presidential runoff election, besting hard-liner Jalili
Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian won Iran’s runoff presidential election Saturday, besting hard-liner Saeed Jalili by promising to reach out to the West and ease enforcement on the country’s mandatory headscarf law after years of sanctions and protests squeezing the Islamic Republic.
Everything Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said publicly about Donald Trump
While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took a measured tone when talking about Donald Trump during his first presidency, the Canadian leader has been a little more direct since. As we head closer to a U.S. election this fall, CTVNews.ca takes a look at everything Trudeau has said publicly about the presumptive Republican nominee.
Beryl set to strengthen on approach to Texas due to hot ocean temperatures
With its unprecedented tear through the ultrawarm waters of the southeast Caribbean, Beryl turned meteorologists’ worst fears of a souped-up hurricane season into grim reality. Now it’s Texas turn.
2 teenagers die while swimming at New York's Coney Island Beach, police say
Two teenagers died while swimming at New York's Coney Island Beach in Brooklyn, police said.
Hamas clears the way for a possible ceasefire after dropping key demand, officials say
Hamas has given initial approval for a U.S.-backed proposal for a phased ceasefire deal in Gaza, dropping a key demand that Israel gives an up-front commitment for a complete end to the war, a Hamas and an Egyptian official said Saturday.