A recent study shows that digestive issues might be an early symptom for people who have contracted COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus . CBS News reported that researchers in China found that half of coronavirus patients analyzed experienced digestive symptoms during early onset of the illness.

Researchers from the Wuhan Medical Treatment Expert Group for COVID-19 analyzed 204 patients who were hospitalized between Jan. 18 and Feb. 28. The study, which was published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, determined that many patients experienced digestive issues, including loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting and/or abdominal pain.

The study also concluded that patients with digestive issues did not seek medical care as quickly as the patients who did not experience these symptoms. This is possibly because the lack of respiratory symptoms led them to believe they were not infected with COVID-19.

Clinicians must bear in mind that digestive symptoms, such as diarrhea, may be a presenting feature of COVID-19, and that the index of suspicion may need to be raised earlier in these cases rather than waiting for respiratory symptoms to emerge, the researchers wrote in their study, adding that larger sample studies are needed in order to fully confirm their findings.

As noted by Business Insider, another study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association also found evidence of digestive symptoms in patients with COVID-19. Of 138 people hospitalized in Wuhan, China, from Jan. 1 to Jan. 28, 14 patients (10.1%) presented with diarrhea and nausea one to two days prior to development of fever.

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Roberto Viau Colindres , an infectious disease physician at Tufts Medical Center, told HuffPost that its too early to make any clinical recommendations based on this data but it certainly shouldnt be taken lightly either.

I am not aware of any [COVID-19] cases of people coming down with severe gastrointestinal disease requiring IV hydration, Colindres said. However, this may change in the future. Clinicians should keep in mind that this may be an early manifestation of COVID-19.

He noted that the study supports already-known information about COVID-19, which is that the virus can appear in stool. This is just another reason for people to practice diligent hand-washing.

Purvi Parikh, a physician and board member with Physicians for Patient Protection , described COVID-19 as a constantly moving target.

Since this virus strain is new, we are learning about it as we try to treat it, she said. As we see more cases, we will learn more about it.

Parikh noted that this new data reinforces the idea that not everyone with COVID-19 will present with the same symptoms. It is important to have a high index of suspicion for COVID-19 in those with GI symptoms, she added.