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How does COVID-19 differ from other influenza-like illness?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

I have sneezing with nasal discharge. How to manage influenza-like illness?

Please help.

Answered by Dr. Muhammad Zubayer Alam

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Muhammad Zubayer Alam is a General Practitioner and Family Physician with broad clinical experience. He specializes in Pulmonology and Internal Medicine, delivering expert care for respiratory and internal conditions. With a patient-centered approach, he emphasizes accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and prevention, providing comprehensive, personalized care to improve health outcomes and quality of life for patients across all ages.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern. According to the statement, you are suffering from sneezing, nasal drooling, or mouth breathing. You need to know about the treatment protocol for influenza-like illness (ILI). The signs and symptoms are fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, body pain, tiredness, headache, and vomiting, or diarrhea. The treatment is symptomatic.

Rapid detection and isolation of affected people can help to prevent the spreading of influenza-like illness in the community. For fever and body ache, you can take Acetaminophen. In case of cough, nasal drooling, and runny nose, you can take antihistamines, Montelukast, and nasal decongestants. Steam inhalation can be helpful.

Oxygen saturation gets affected and it is detected by a pulse oximeter. Affected patients with oxygen saturation below ninety-three percent should get hospitalized for oxygen inhalation therapy and close monitoring is needed.

I hope this has helped you.

Please feel free to reach out to me again if you have further queries.

Thank you.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

Thank you for the excellent and detailed response.

How to differentiate COVID-19 and influenza?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Muhammad Zubayer Alam

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Muhammad Zubayer Alam is a General Practitioner and Family Physician with broad clinical experience. He specializes in Pulmonology and Internal Medicine, delivering expert care for respiratory and internal conditions. With a patient-centered approach, he emphasizes accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and prevention, providing comprehensive, personalized care to improve health outcomes and quality of life for patients across all ages.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

It is difficult to differentiate influenza from COVID-19 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). In the case of COVID-19 infection, fever with a dry cough is developed initially. After a few days, it turns into an intractable cough and respiratory distress, and then it develops into COVID-19 pneumonia. In these cases, HRCT (high resolution computed tomography) of the chest helps to confirm the diagnosis.

Sudden loss of smell or anosmia helps to predict COVID-19 infection. There is a sudden loss of taste sensation also. COVID-19 can also develop with influenza as both are caused due to viral infections. Again sudden fall in oxygen saturation helps to predict COVID-19 infection. Antibody test or antigen test or RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) test helps to detect COVID-19 infections.

I hope this has helped you.

Please feel free to reach out to me again if you have further queries.

Thank you.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Sneha Kannan
Published At October 3, 2020
Reviewed At February 20, 2026

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Muhammad Zubayer Alam is a General Practitioner and Family Physician with broad clinical experience. He specializes in Pulmonology and Internal Medicine, delivering expert care for respiratory and internal conditions. With a patient-centered approach, he emphasizes accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and prevention, providing comprehensive, personalized care to improve health outcomes and quality of life for patients across all ages.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Education:

BDS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sneha Kannan is a skilled Dental Surgeon with expertise in providing general dental care, including scaling, fillings, and preventive treatments. She does oral surgery procedures such as extractions and minor surgical interventions. She does procedures in restorative dentistry, including crowns, bridges, and dentures. She is an expert in doing endodontic treatments such as root canal therapy. She is well-versed in doing procedures in cosmetic dentistry, including teeth whitening and smile correction. She can provide pediatric dental care for children’s oral health and preventive treatments. She promotes oral hygiene awareness and preventive dental practices.  

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Muhammad Zubayer Alam is a General Practitioner and Family Physician with broad clinical experience. He specializes in Pulmonology and Internal Medicine, delivering expert care for respiratory and internal conditions. With a patient-centered approach, he emphasizes accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and prevention, providing comprehensive, personalized care to improve health outcomes and quality of life for patients across all ages.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

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