A high fever of 38 to 40 degrees lasts for 3 to 5 days, then the fever goes down, and thereafter, a red, rosy skin rash occurs on the body, face, and arms, which is also called ‘Roseola infantum’. The rash usually goes away after 1 to 3 days. Most patients have no specific symptoms other than high fever, but in rare cases, cramps, runny nose, vomiting, and diarrhea may appear.
The difference between a sudden rash and COVID-19 is the timing of the onset of high fever and the presence or absence of a rash. In infants and toddlers, a high fever develops initially and a rash is formed after the fever has subsided. Corona 19 has an incubation period of up to two weeks, followed by fever of 37.5 degrees or higher, coughing and difficulty breathing, and cases of asymptomatic infection may occur.
In most cases, there are no symptoms other than high fever, so early diagnosis is difficult. Sudden rash is diagnosed by combining age, medical history, and examination findings, and tests such as PCR test, virus culture, and antigen detection are performed to confirm viral infection.
It is also necessary to distinguish from measles. In contrast to the rash that causes a red rash, the skin rash of measles is red or reddish-brown in color. In addition, a sudden rash recovers slowly when the fever starts and the rash starts, but in measles, symptoms persist even in the rash state.
There is no special treatment other than symptomatic treatment according to the symptoms, and most of the treatment is spontaneous. However, if the fever is high, you may need to hydrate or control the body temperature with an antipyretic agent. In particular, rashes are contagious, so you should avoid contact with them until the rash is gone. In most cases, the prognosis is good, but if the high fever persists, there is a risk of brain nerve damage, so you need to visit a hospital for treatment.
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