Covid-19

COVID-19 is an acute respiratory virus that was first reported in Wuhan, China on December 31 2019. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global pandemic. Vaccinations are being developed, manufactured and deployed globally on a daily basis to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are:

  • Fever

  • Dry cough

  • Fatigue

Symptoms of severe COVID‐19 disease include:

  • Shortness of breath

  • Loss of appetite

  • Confusion

  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest

  • High temperature (above 38 °C)

Other symptoms that are less common include:

  • Loss of taste or smell

  • Nasal congestion

  • Conjunctivitis (also known as red eyes)

  • Sore throat

  • Headache

  • Muscle or joint pain

  • Different types of skin rash

  • Nausea or vomiting

  • Diarrhea

  • Chills or dizziness

Other less common symptoms are:

  • Irritability

  • Confusion

  • Reduced consciousness (sometimes associated with seizures)

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Sleep disorders

  • More severe and rare neurological complications such as strokes, brain inflammation, delirium and nerve damage

People of all ages who experience fever and/or cough associated with difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, or loss of speech or movement should seek medical care immediately. If possible, call your health care provider, hotline or health facility first, so you can be directed to the right clinic.

 

COVID-19 can spread by:

Person-to-Person – between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). Through respiratory droplets produced with an infected person coughs or sneezes.