Kashini Andrew^1,, Mohd Bakar¹, Mivanyi Kadala²

In December 2019 reports from Wuhan showed the emergence of a form of acute respiratory illness caused by a new strain of coronavirus subsequently named Severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2, 2019-nCoV) due to its close homology (80%) to SARS COV, responsible for a series of Acute Respiratory Distress syndrome between 2002-2003. Since the onset of the pandemic there has been an interest in the cutaneous manifestations of the viral infection. A 35 year old staff nurse presented with fever, dry cough, malaise and myalgia. She tested positive for SARS CoV2. She developed an urticarial rash which was red, itchy and macular affecting both forearms sparing the hands on day 10 of the onset of symptoms. The rash lasted for 72 hours and resolved spontaneously. She had not been started on any new medications prior to the onset of illness. She made a good recovery after three weeks of symptoms with itching controlled by chlorphenamine maleate. Physicians should remember that even though SARS-CoV2 presents with mainly respiratory symptoms which could become life threatening, cutaneous manifestations do occur and can vary in distribution and morphology.

coronavirus, urticarial rash, Wuhan