Fears about a 'mystery virus' spread through TikTok - among young people who say they're not testing positive for COVID, flu or other common bugs

daily mail ^

[algore]

People have described being sick for weeks on end with high fevers, nausea, trouble breathing, loss of sense of smell, and fatigue.

But health experts say the virus is less mysterious than it is painted online. There are viruses circulating at all times of year, and this ‘mystery virus’ is likely one of the common seasonal illnesses that were suppressed during the Covid pandemic.

There is thought to be a two-pronged effect at play. People are hypersensitive to their own health after the pandemic, and our immune systems were weakened due to things like lockdowns and working from home, when we were not exposed to germs, making illnesses feel more brutal.

While thousands called their illness a mystery virus, their reported symptoms do not necessarily overlap. Some have likened it to a respiratory infection similar to Covid, while others have described symptoms consistent with strep throat.

Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, told The Hill: ‘The symptoms that are being described are pretty consistent with, you know, a lot of viruses that are not “mystery viruses,” that are things that are out there circulating all year. The common cold being one of them.’

One user on TikTok describing her illness said: ‘I was sick a few weeks ago for about two weeks. The first four days were absolutely terrible. I tested for Covid, I tested for both a and b flu, I tested for strep, and was negative for everything twice.

‘I had a fever, pretty much for four straight days, I was super congested, shortness of breath, loss of sense of smell. Everything you would think of whenever you have covid or the flu. I was also really dizzy and lightheaded a lot.’

[metmom]

That virus went through our family.

We were sick for a good 6 weeks before starting to recover.

However, it was all congestion, some laryngitis, then into mild bronchitis and LOTS of nasal congestion. No fever but I did lose my sense of smell for a couple weeks. I took some zinc and that helped restore it pretty quickly. I wondered if the loss of the sense of smell was tied to low zinc levels from fighting the virus.

No positive tests for Covid, the flu, or RSV.