In Italy the virus continues to run. In yesterday’s bulletin, Tuesday 12 April, the new positives in the 24 hours were 83,643. The victims rose to 169 compared to 115 the day before. The positivity rate is 14.8%. To drive the surge in infections, the sub-variant Omicron 2whose contagiousness is equivalent to that of measles.
But Covid-19 would not be the only virus circulating in Italy right now. To be often mistaken for Sars-CoV-2 is the viral gastroenteritis, or the intestinal flu. The annoying infection, which is spreading in our country, is mainly caused by norovirus e i rotavirus.
The former affect adults and children and are the most common cause of food-borne gastroenteritis. Rotaviruses mainly affect the youngest and the symptoms are similar to those of Covid. How then to distinguish Omicron from intestinal flu? Let’s go into detail.
How to distinguish intestinal flu from Covid-19
The new surge in cases driven by the Omicron 2 variant has brought back the fear of contagion and often even a simple stomach ache triggers the run to the tampon. Not only. New ones have been added to the classic “Covid symptoms”, very similar to those of the intestinal flu: fever, gastrointestinal disturbances, runny nose and dizziness.
How then to distinguish Covid-19 from gastroenteritis? In an interview with the Messenger, Claudio Mastroiannidirector of the infectious diseases department of the Policlinico Umberto I in Rome and president of Simit (Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases), explained: “These viruses can affect both children and young people. It is clear that the symptoms could be superimposed on Covid, but in the vast majority of cases the clinical picture is very distinct. Generally, Omicron affects the upper respiratory tract and in some cases causes intestinal disorders. In intestinal flu, on the other hand, there is fever, diarrhea and vomiting, without respiratory symptoms».
Mastroianni advises against the tampon run: “In most cases within 48 hours the symptoms pass spontaneously. It is therefore good to wait a couple of days before checking if it is Covid. However, if you live with some fragile person at home, it is advisable to remain isolated and swab. If, on the other hand, the subject is vaccinated and does not have particular frailties, it is only necessary to wait for the intestinal disorders to subside until they disappear definitively».
Viral gastroenteritis, here’s what to eat
In the case of intestinal flu, Mastroianni recommends rest and adequate nutrition. “Particular attention should be paid to older people and small children, who need to be hydrated often. If you feel like you’re vomiting, you should make them drink in small doses“. In the acute phases, solid foods are not recommended because they could stimulate vomiting or diarrhea. The expert recommends eating only liquids containing mineral salts and sugars. When your appetite returns, you can gradually resume eating.