According to the search results, the symptoms of the new COVID variants are generally the same as the symptoms of the original COVID-19 virus. The symptoms include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Diarrhea
- Nausea or vomiting
It is important to note that this is not a complete list of severe symptoms, and if you have COVID symptoms that are concerning, you should call your healthcare provider. The EG.5 (Eris) variant tends to infect the upper respiratory tract, causing a runny nose, sore throat, and other cold-like symptoms, while the BA.2.86 (Pirola) variant typically causes symptoms in a patients upper-respiratory tract, including runny nose, sore throat, and other cold-like symptoms. Fever can occur, as can changes in taste and smell. In patients with compromised immune systems, or those 65 and older, the virus can still cause issues in lower parts of the respiratory tract, which can lead to more severe symptoms. However, there is no data on the symptoms associated with the BA.2.86 variant because the case numbers are too small.
