Doctors Report Foot Lesions Known As ‘COVID Toes’ As New Coronavirus Symptom

Doctors are now reporting purple or blue lesions appearing on COVID-19 patients’ feet and toes in a phenomenon that is now being referred to as “COVID toes.”

While there are no conclusive studies to validate the occurrence, doctors say that the lesions have appeared in both asymptomatic and severe cases alike, which could ultimately become a useful tool in diagnosing patients.

“They’re typically painful to touch and could have a hot burning sensation,” Dr. Ebbing Lautenbach, chief of infectious disease at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine, told USA Today. Lautenbach also revealed that “COVID toes” are disproportionately present in children and young adults, who may otherwise be asymptomatic or test negative at the early stages of the virus. The most severe COVID-19 patients also exhibited this symptom, but it does appear to be most prevalent in those severe cases who also had acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), said Susan Wilcox, Massachusetts General Hospital’s chief of critical care for the emergency department.

According to Lautenbach, there are two possible explanations behind “COVID toes.” It could be due to a localized inflammatory response to infection that presents in a person’s foot and toes, or it could be a blood vessel clot. However, more research is needed to know for sure.

The most common symptoms of coronavirus still include fever, tiredness, and dry cough, while some people do experience body aches, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat and diarrhea among other ailments, according to the World Health Organization. Typically, it takes five to six days from the point of infection for symptoms to present themselves, though in some cases, it can take up to 14 days while other cases are completely asymptomatic. If you experience a fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, the WHO recommends seeking immediate medical attention.