Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).The disease was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei province, and has since spread globally, resulting in the ongoing 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic.Common symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.Other symptoms may include muscle pain, sputum production, diarrhea, sore throat, loss of smell, and abdominal pain. While the majority of cases result in mild symptoms, some progress to viral pneumonia and multi-organ failure.
The virus is mainly spread during close contact and by small droplets produced when people cough, sneeze, or talk.People may also catch COVID-19 by touching a contaminated surface and then their face. Recommended measures to prevent infection include frequent hand washing, social distancing (maintaining physical distance from others, especially from those with symptoms), covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or inner elbow, and keeping unwashed hands away from the face.The use of masks is recommended for those who suspect they have the virus and their caregivers.