ABOUT
COVID-19
Basic information about the coronavirus and COVID-19.
HISTORY OF CORONAVIRUS.
The coronavirus can be found in many forms. Out of the many viruses that cause the common cold, one of them is the coronavirus. In 2003, the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) epidemic was a form of the coronavirus and in 2012, the MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) that took over Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East was also a form of coronavirus. COVID-19, the form of the coronavirus that is present and taking over our world today has many similarities with 2003’s SARS virus. What is now called by medical professionals as SARS-COV-2, the new form of the coronavirus causes COVID-19 (CO from corona, VI from virus, D from disease, and the 19 in 2019).
THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.
The first case of COVID-19 was in China, November 17, 2019. It was only weeks later that authorities announced the virus’s emergence. In 2019, Chinese authorities had found at least 266 people who had been affected by the virus. By March 17, 2020, four months after the first person tested positive, 179,111 cases were confirmed worldwide, and a total of 7426 people had died due to the virus. In just the past 3 months, COVID-19 has affected over 250,000 people and is present in 166 countries.
SYMPTOMS.
3-5 days is the average number of days it usually takes for a person to show symptoms.
MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS: (same as viral syndrome symptoms)
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Fever
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Fatigue
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Cough
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Starts as a dry cough, there may be phlegm as the disease gets more severe
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Anorexia (not eating)
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Body pains
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A limited number of people (<37%) show the following symptoms:
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Throat pains
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Diarrhea
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Stomach pains
Breathing troubles may not show early, it may show a few days after coughing starts.
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Emergency warning signs, meaning immediate medical attention is necessary, include, but are not limited to:
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Extreme difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
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Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
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New confusion or inability to arouse
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Bluish lips or face.
If any of these symptoms are present, call 911.
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To learn more, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html