Health experts have said soreness in your muscles may be a sign of the most serious coronavirus cases.
US researchers spotted painful muscles as an indicator that a Covid-19 patient may go on to develop lung disease, according to The Mirror.
The link was found when experts at New York University carried out an analysis of 53 patients in Chinese city of Wenzhou.
Currently a persistent cough and high temperatures are listed as the main tell-tale signs of the deadly bug, according to the NHS.
But infectious-disease specialist Megan Coffee, who headed up the study, said myalgia - deep muscle soreness - were present in those suffering with coronavirus.
However, Professor Coffee said she would ask a patient about shortness of breath before other less serious symptoms, such as body aches.
She told Business Insider : "Our hope is to assist doctors in that first stage to be able to identify who may become sick of the many mild cases."
The World Health Organization said aches or joint pain came up in around 15 per cent of coronavirus patients.
The soreness is caused by chemicals called cytokines being released into the body in response to the infection, according to The Sun.
Researchers also found that changes to liver enzyme alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and haemoglobin levels were signs of the most serious coronavirus cases.
Professor Coffee said patients with all three of these symptoms are at risk of severe lung disease.
She added that knowing early signs of serious cases could help health workers make decisions on hospital admissions.
The expert pointed out that if no hospital beds were available, staff could advise a person with serious symptoms to return the next day instead of just allowing them to leave.
