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COVID-19 is an infectious respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a pathogen belonging to the coronavirus family. The course of infection with this particular pathogen may be asymptomatic, mild, but also severe, even with the necessity of hospitalization. How is COVID-19 disease manifested and how is it treated?
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is an infectious, viral disease that affects the respiratory tract. It can manifest itself like a cold, but in more severe cases, it causes complications such as pneumonia or respiratory failure. Responsible for the development of the disease koronawirus SARS-CoV-2. This pathogen belongs to the family of coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV and the MERS-CoV virus.
The disease COVID-19 first revealed in December 2019 in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is suspected of origin in animals, and since the infection spread to humans, the pathogen has been transmitted from person to person with ease. The virus quickly spread throughout China, and then began to spread around the globe.
The name COVID-19 comes from the English language – Coronavirus Disease 2019. The disease-causing coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, was called 2019-nCoV in the initial stage of spread.
COVID-19 – methods of infection
COVID-19 viral disease is spreading by droplets. This means that a healthy person can become infected through close contact with sick people. Transmission of the coronavirus occurs through tiny droplets from the respiratory tract that are present in the mouth or nose. When a sick person coughs, sneezes, talks and exhales, the pathogens are inhaled by those around them. They can also settle on various surfaces and objects in the vicinity. Another possible way an infection can spread is by touching these surfaces and then touching the area around your nose, mouth or eyes.
According to current data, the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus does not spread by air, i.e. by inhalation of airborne particles. Droplets from the respiratory tract of infected people are too heavy to stay in the air for long periods. They quickly fall to the floor and other surrounding surfaces.
Common symptoms of COVID-19
The three most characteristic symptoms of COVID-19 disease – fever, dry cough and shortness of breath. Most often, however, fatigue is observed in patients along with fever and cough. Not always the mentioned symptoms occur because the disease can run asymptomatic or cause other ailments. Down other common symptoms seen in people with COVID-19 belong:
- sore throat;
- Headache;
- muscle aches and pains in joints;
- chills;
- nausea and vomiting;
- Stuffed nose;
- train;
- diarrhea;
- krwioplucie;
- conjunctival hyperemia.
The severity of symptoms may depend on the patient’s overall health, age and the severity of the disease. Symptoms appear different times after infection with the virus – this period is called virus incubation time. Most estimates indicate that for the coronavirus, it lasts on average from 1 to 14 days. Most often, however symptoms of COVID-19 appear within 5 days of being infected.
How does COVID-19 disease progress?
COVID-19 disease is contagious and can spread easily to healthy people who come into close contact with the infected (especially if it shows symptoms such as coughing). In most cases, the infection is mild and can be mistaken for a cold or the flu. However, some people are more likely to develop severe symptoms and serious complications. Down group at increased risk of acute COVID-19 belong:
- elder people;
- people with chronic diseases including lung disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.
The course of COVID-19 disease may be different for each case of infection. It is statistically mild, especially in children and young adults, but hospitalization is required in 1 in 5 people. The infection may be asymptomatic, but there is still no precise data on people who did not develop any symptoms. In many cases the symptoms are mild (e.g. cough, malaise), especially in the early stages of the disease. As the infection progresses, symptoms may worsen and sometimes more may appear.
Check: Allergy, Flu or Coronavirus? Symptoms can be confusing
W acute course of COVID-19 the most severe symptoms occur, which in some cases end in serious complications, e.g. acute interstitial pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis or septic shock. It is this course that most often leads to deaths among patients infected with the coronavirus.
How is COVID-19 treated?
Works on drug for COVID-19 and the vaccine is still ongoing. Symptomatic treatment is used before effective drugs appear. People with mild symptoms can be treated at home, while severe cases require hospitalization.
Read more:
- 10 advice from WHO experts regarding the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus
- Coronavirus COVID-19 – the most important questions and answers
- The biggest epidemics in recent years: coronavirus, SARS, avian flu, Ebola
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