Patients with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection primarily present with respiratory tract symptoms, like cough, difficulty in breathing, and fever ¹. Patients may also complain of disturbance in sense of smell & taste, fatigue, myalgia, and joint pains ¹.  

Rhabdomyolysis (skeletal muscle damage & necrosis) can be caused by different viral and bacterial infections. The influenza, parainfluenza, cytomegalic virus (CMV), Epstein Barr virus (EBV), Herpes Simplex virus (HSV), and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), are some well-known acute viral infections associated with rhabdomyolysis. Creatine kinase (CK), a muscle enzyme, is markedly elevated in rhabdomyolysis ¹.

Rhabdomyolysis can infrequently be seen in COVID-19 infection; however, this association is not well known. Recently, there is a case report of two patients who presented with rhabdomyolysis as the initial manifestation of COVID-19 infection with no respiratory symptoms ¹. There is also a recent case report of a patient having rhabdomyolysis as a late complication of COVID-19 ².