Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Other names	COVID, Covid, (the) coronavirus
Transmission and life-cycle of SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19.
Pronunciation	/kəˈroʊnəˌvaɪrəs dɪˈziːz/ /ˌkoʊvɪdnaɪnˈtiːn, ˌkɒvɪd-/ [1]
Specialty	Infectious disease
Symptoms	Fever, cough, shortness of breath, tiredness, loss of smell; [2] some are asymptomatic [3]
Complications	Blood clots, heart disease, kidney problems, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, chronic COVID syndrome [4]
Usual onset	2–14 days (typically 5) from infection [2] [5]
Causes	Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [5]
Diagnostic method	Rapid antigen test, PCR test [5]
Prevention	Physical distancing, face masks, ventilation, quarantine, vaccination [5] [6] [7]
Treatment	Supportive and symptomatic [8]
Medication	Non-hospitalized: Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, sotrovimab, molnupiravir [8] Severe: Oxygen therapy, dexamethasone, remdesivir [8] Critical care: Tocilizumab, sarilumab [8]
Prognosis	20% require hospitalization [5]
Frequency	676,609,955 [9]
Deaths	~20 million (as of Dec 31, 2021) [10]

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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). ^[5] Symptoms often include fever, cough, breathing difficulties, tiredness, headache, loss of smell and taste, sore throat, vomiting, and diarrhea. ^[2] Onset is usually two to fourteen days after exposure to the virus. ^[2] Some people; however, develop no symptoms. ^[3]

Spread occurs mainly when an infected person is in close contact with another person. ^[11] This may occur by either airborne transmission or small droplets containing the virus. ^{[12] [13]} Less commonly, the virus may spread via contaminated surfaces. ^[11] People can transmit the virus two days before they show symptoms, and generally remain infectious for up to 10 days, though those with severe disease maybe infectious longer. ^{[12] [14]} Diagnosis is generally by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or rapid antigen test from a nose or throat swab. ^[5]

Preventive measures include physical distancing, use of a high quality face mask, ventilation of indoor spaces, and quarantine. ^{[5] [6] [15]} Several vaccines also decrease the risk. ^[7] Much of treatment is symptomatic and supportive. ^[8] In those who do not require hospitalization, but are at high risk, nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, sotrovimab, or molnupiravir may be used. ^[8] For those who require oxygen therapy, dexamethasone and remdesivir may be used. ^[8] For those who required critical care tocilizumab or sarilumab may be added. ^[8]

Of those people who develop symptoms, around 80% recover without needing hospitalization, 15% require oxygen therapy, and 5% require intensive care. ^[5] Older people and those with other health problems are at a higher risk. ^[5] While most get better after a few weeks, some continue to experience a range of effects ( long COVID) for months. ^[16] As of 27 April 2024, at least 676 million cases have been confirmed, which has resulted in more than 6.88 million deaths. ^[9] The actual number of deaths was; however, estimated at nearly 20 million as of December 31st 2021. ^[10] The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. ^[17] The disease has since spread worldwide, leading to an ongoing pandemic. ^[18]

References