Coronavirus disease identified in 2019. It is genetically similar to the virus that causes SARS, but has caused more widespread/global complications. Most infected patients develop symptoms in 2 to 7 days, but the incubation period ranges from 0 to approximately 14 days. The majority of infected patients have mild cold and flu symptoms; however, between 5 and 10 percent of patients develop pneumonia, and a smaller percentage, succumb to respiratory failure or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The mortality rate of the disease varies depending on the strain of the virus, but has been as high as 1 to 2% of the infected. The highest mortality rates are in senior citizens and people with chronic illnesses, although death and disability from the illness can occur in others as well.
Early symptoms of the illness include fever, cough, headache, loss of the sense of smell or taste, chest discomfort, shortness of breath, fatigue, body aches, and rashes.
Each infected person can spread the disease to others by breathing, coughing, singing, shouting, sneezing, or talking. Health care workers are at high risk of the disease. Vaccination and boosting, along with infection control procedures (such as physically distancing from other people, hand hygiene, and facial coverings) protect against infection.
Laboratory studies in infected people typically reveal abnormally low lymphocyte counts and elevated levels of C reactive protein. Diagnosis is made with nasopharyngeal sampling.
SEE: virus, SEE: corona, SEE: coronavirus
Persistent symptoms experienced by Covid-19 patients that last more than four weeks after the onset of symptomatic disease. These may include chest pain, shortness of breath, easy fatigue, joint pains, malaise, and alterations in the sensation of smell or taste. When post-acute symptoms last longer than 12 weeks after symptom onset they are known colloquially as long Covid.