Clinical Features of COVID-19 Patients From Otorhinolaryngology Clinics During Omicron Era in South Korea

Background and Objectives The Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is less severe but is highly contagious and has a high vaccine avoidance rate. We aimed to investigate the changes in symptoms and treatment of patients with coronavirus disease-2019 from diagnosis to release from quarantine during the Omicron pandemic era.Subjects and Method From March to October 2022, serial questionnaire surveys were conducted in 20 otorhinolaryngology clinics across five cities in South Korea at two different time points: at diagnosis and after release from quarantine. The clinical features and clinical course were analyzed.Results The initial and follow-up questionnaires were completed by 2842 patients and 736 patients, respectively. Body temperature at the time of infection was 37.21±0.73°C. Most patients (98.5%) were symptomatic and 94.4% had been immunized. At the time of diagnosis, the main complaints were sore throat (31.4%), myalgia (18.0%), and fever (16.0%). Numerous patients complained of sore throat (67.5%), globus sensation (62.9%), myalgia (57.7%), and cough (55.6%). After a week, persisting symptoms included cough (46.3%), sputum (43.1%), and fatigue (28.9%). Rates of loss of smell or taste increased from 7.7% to 18.1%. In contrast, fever, myalgia, and sore throat decreased to 6.4%, 5.2%, and 12.9%, respectively, at release from quarantine.Conclusion During the Omicron era, most individuals vaccinated against the COVID-19 were identified with breakthrough infection. The initial clinical symptoms and residual symptoms were distinct, and asymptomatic cases were very rare. The development and progression of these characteristic symptoms can distinguish the Omicron variant from other respiratory viral infections.