What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus.

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What is a coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans.  In humans, 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.

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The virus can spread through:

• close contact with an infectious person

• contact with droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze

• touching surfaces (like door handles or tables) that have been contaminated with cough or sneeze droplets from a person with COVID-19, and then touching your mouth or face.

 

Symptoms of COVID-19:

• The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some persons may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea.

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• Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell.Most people will have mild illness. Some people are at greater risk of getting the infection, and some people are at risk of more serious infection and even death.

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You can stop the spread of the virus:

• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub

• Cough or sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue. Throw used tissues in the bin and wash your hands.

• Try and keep a 1.5-metre distance between yourself and others: avoid large public gathering, minimise physical contact such as shaking hands, and stay at home when you are unwell.

• If you been diagnosed with COVID-19, you must stay at home to prevent it spreading to other people.

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