About Coronavirus

What is a coronavirus? Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19.

What is COVID-19? According to the World Health Organization, COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19? Symptoms can range from mild to severe illness, and appear 2-14 days after you are exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. - Cough - Fever - Chills - Muscle pain - Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing - Sore throat - New loss of taste or smell

When to visit the clinic Seek medical care immediately if someone has emergency warning signs of COVID-19.
-Trouble breathing - Persistent pain or pressure in the chest - New confusion - Inability to wake or stay awake

How does COVID-19 spread? People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets. This is why it is important to stay more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from a person who is sick.

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