What Is Coronavirus?

Coronavirus is a type of virus. It can cause disease in specific individuals. COVID-19 is a pandemic respiratory illness caused by SARS-CoV-2, discovered in 2019.

Why is it called Coronavirus?

“Coronavirus” gets its name from its shape. The outermost layers of the virus contain spikes that resemble crowns.

Coronavirus, COVID-19
Coronavirus, COVID-19 Structure With Complete Surface Protein Representations.

What are the transmission mechanisms of Coronaviruses?

Researchers believe that the Coronavirus spreads through droplets and virus particles released into the air by when infected people breathe, talk, laugh, sneeze, cough, or sneeze. Droplets of larger size may fall to the ground in a few seconds; However, tiny infectious particles can accumulate in areas with poor ventilation. COVID-19 is therefore preventable through mask wear, hand hygiene, and physical distancing.

Where does the Coronavirus come from?

As of Dec. 1, 2019, the first case of COVID-19 was reported, attributed to a newly discovered coronavirus. It is possible that SARS-CoV-2 originated in an animal and changed (mutated) to cause illness in humans. The viruses that cause various infectious diseases have originated in birds, pigs, bats, or other animals and mutated into dangerous strains for humans. To determine how Coronavirus has become a pandemic disease, more research is needed.

What is the incubation period for COVID-19?

After exposure to the virus, people begin to show signs and symptoms within two to fourteen days. Coronavirus-infected individuals are contagious for up to two days before symptoms appear. They remain contagious for 10 to 20 days, depending on their immune system and the severity of the illness.

Which symptoms do Coronavirus-infected individuals experience?

Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

  • Cough
  • Fever or chills
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Sore throat
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Diarrhea
  • Headache
  • New fatigue
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Congestion or runny nose

Coronavirus infected people may experience mild COVID-19 illness, and others may not experience any symptoms at all. However, COVID-19 can cause respiratory failure, lung, and heart muscle damage, nerve damage, kidney damage, or death in some cases.

You should call your doctor or a health care provider if you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above before going to the doctor’s office, an urgent care facility, or the emergency room.

How does COVID-19 get diagnosed?

A lab test diagnoses the disease. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is difficult to analyze based on examination alone since many of its signs and symptoms can be due to other illnesses. In addition, many infected people do not have any symptoms at all.

What is the treatment for COVID-19?

Patients with more severe diseases can benefit from treatment for COVID-19 by treating their symptoms and supporting their well-being. Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter drugs or fever reducers to treat mild cases of Coronavirus disease. Patients with more severe cases may need hospital treatment; they may receive a combination of steroids, oxygen, mechanical respiration support, and other therapies for COVID-19 currently under development. In addition, patients who receive monoclonal antibodies early in the infection may experience reduced symptoms, severity, and duration of the illness.

WHO calls COVID-19 a global pandemic

What can I do to protect myself against this virus?

Infection with COVID-19, the Coronavirus that causes SARS, can now be prevented with vaccines. However, people should continue to use masks, be physically distant from other people, and It is essential to wash their hands regardless of whether they have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Can COVID-19 cause death?

Severe COVID-19 can carry a fatal outcome.

Does it differ from SARS?

An acute respiratory syndrome is also known as SARS. A SARS outbreak affected several countries in 2003 before ending in 2004. In 2003, an outbreak of SARS was caused by the same Coronavirus that caused COVID-19.

As the 2019 coronavirus is related to the original coronavirus that caused SARS and may cause SARS, its name includes “SARS”: SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 is spreading faster and farther than 2003’s SARS-CoV-1 virus, but much remains unknown about these viruses. This is because the virus is so easily spread from person to person, even by asymptomatic carriers.

Can this Coronavirus be classified into different varieties?

Certainly, coronaviruses can be classified into different varieties. Like other viruses, the Coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can change (mutate). New variants have appeared around the world since December 2020, including B.1.351, which was first found in South Africa, and others. In some cases, mutations can cause the Coronavirus to spread more rapidly, resulting in more severe diseases. Further infections can drive more people to get very ill and allow the virus to develop more mutations.