Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Differential Diagnosis

Last updated: 06 May 2025

Content on this page:

Content on this page:

Differential Diagnosis

COVID-19 Symptoms Compared to Other Diseases and Conditions
Symptoms COVID-19 Flu Common Cold Dengue Allergies
Fever Common Common Rare Common Rare
Dry cough Common Less common Less common Rare Less common
Tiredness Common Common Less common Common Less common
Shortness of breath Less common Less common Rare Less common Less common
Aches and pains Less common Common Rare Common Rare
Headache Less common Common Rare Common Less common
Sore throat Less common Less common Common Rare Rare
Diarrhea Less common Less common Rare Rare Rare
Stuffy nose Rare Less common Common Rare Common
Runny nose Rare Common Common Less common Common
Sneezing Rare Rare Common Rare Common
Reference: Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization (PAHO). Infographic: COVID-19 compared to other diseases and conditions. PAHO. https://www.paho.org/. 05 Jun 2020.