However, in just a few weeks of April this year, dozens of people came to her medical facility with similar symptoms.
Some cases can be extremely painful, causing a burning or itching sensation.
Hannah Spitzer, 20, a sophomore at Lafayette College, suffered damage to all 10 toes.
`At first, I thought it was because of my shoes. But the symptoms got worse. Most of my toes were red, swollen and almost shiny,` Spitzer said.
She used hydrocortisone, benadryl and ice to relieve pain.
`Our clinic is flooded with people coming to have their toes examined. They have not often had toenail fungus before, many patients have never had this disease,` said Dr. Fox.
The toes of patients with mild nCoV infection are swollen, red, and feel burning or itchy.
Dr. Fox’s hospital is not the only place that has recorded this condition.
`I have to increase clinical treatment sessions specifically for these patients. People are especially interested,` she said.
Experts call this phenomenon `Covid toes`, another symptom of people infected with nCoV, besides dry cough, difficulty breathing, loss of smell… Although it is not added to the list of symptoms by health officials.
Some medical reports from Spain, Belgium and Italy also recorded a sudden increase in the number of people with benign inflammation in the toes, heels and soles of the feet.
Many experts believe that this is just a manifestation of the immune response in healthy people to the virus.
`The most important message is not to panic. Most patients with this type of injury are very normal. This is a benign clinical presentation. They are at home, feeling better, and the bruises on the
Scientists only recently conducted research.
Doctors recommend that people with sudden swelling, purple and red toes should consult a general practitioner or dermatologist, but should not rush to the emergency room to prevent the risk of cross-infection for both themselves and others.
Italians are tested for antibodies in the city of Cisliano.
`The good news is that this cold-like symptom means you’ll be fine. It’s usually a positive sign, showing that your immune system is fighting off Covid-19,` Dr. Fox said.
The problem is that many teenagers with `Covid toes` test negative for the virus.
Patient Hannah Spitzer also tested negative for nCoV after experiencing leg pain.
There is a theory that `Covid toes` are the result of blood clotting, often seen in the most severe cases of infection.
However, many scientists refute this idea, pointing out that `Covid toes` recorded in healthy people are completely different from those in serious patients.