Coronavirus disease (COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2) is a viral disease that has caused a pandemic since the first documented cases were reported in 2019. So, the microbe that created the infection is relatively recent. SARS-CoV-2 is a type of virus that leads to diseases involving the respiratory tract and belongs to the coronavirus family. It's part of the coronavirus family — a large genus of viruses that includes many others. Pathogens in this species are unique and recognizable by their distinctive shape, which resembles a crown when viewed under a microscope. This is the origin of the name of the virus. Humans have been aware of other viruses in the same group as SARS-CoV-2 since the 1960s.
Coronaviruses cause disease in humans, whereas animals are usually not affected. That said, animals like bats may be the hosts for such pathogens. Due to the countless hours of scientific study on COVID-19 done during the pandemic, we know the best ways of controlling the infection. But even though we are over the pandemic of this virus, it is still better to stay alert to this virus and know its signature symptoms and prevention! Find out more about COVID-19 and protect yourself.
Coronaviruses are a broad group of pathogens. Even before COVID-19, so-called coronaviruses were already known, such as SARS-CoV. One of the earliest coronaviruses that attacked humans was the strange SARS virus. It rapidly emerged internationally, creating an acute respiratory disease and sparking worldwide panic. Thereafter, scientists have been doing their utmost to test these viruses and the subsequent need for countermeasures.
The pathogen is named SARS-CoV-2 because COVID-19 is the disease caused by the second version of the SARS-CoV virus. This particular virus can withstand low temperatures, down to – 0 °C, but is vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation, some chemicals, and heat. Furthermore, other variants of COVID-19 have appeared since the pandemic started. The virus has mutated to change its characteristics.
Other new variants are troubling because of their increased transmissibility. When the Alpha variant first emerged in the UK in 2020, it was shown to be far more infectious. It was this type of coronavirus that also induced more severe disease. Likewise, the Beta variant has greater transmissibility danger than the close Gamma variant, along with the Delta and Omicron variants. Unfortunately, changes in the virus's genetic code may also cause vaccines to work less effectively because the virus becomes more resistant.
Understanding how the coronavirus spreads will help you take appropriate measures to protect yourself and those around you. The COVID-19 pandemic is long over, but the virus still exists, and we can still catch it. Knowing how the virus transmits is beneficial. It enables us to eliminate the possibility of infection and join efforts to protect our communities.
As a pulmonary illness, COVID-19 transmits primarily via respiratory droplets. To be crude, you have an upper chance of catching this virus when an impacted person sneezes, coughs, or breathes nearby. In such cases, droplets from the respiratory tract of the infected person travel even several meters and remain in the air for some time. If a person inhales these droplets, the virus can enter the body and, subsequently, infect the person.
The closer contact with an infected person, the higher the risk of coronavirus infection. Physical contact (such as hugging, shaking hands, kissing, etc.) is highly contagious. Even asymptomatic carriers can spread the disease this way. This is why we had to wear specific types of masks during the pandemic.
Unfortunately, respiratory viruses can also establish themselves in something objects or surfaces. Frequently handled surfaces and items such as handrails are common areas of contamination. When you touch a surface contaminated with the virus, the pathogen can enter your body by touching your dirty hand to your mouth or other body parts around the face. This is why washing hands frequently also played a role in prevention during the pandemic.
Animals can also transmit this type of virus, although there is little scientific evidence to support this. However, some scientists say that it is probably the infection route that caused the first disease of this virus. The source is suspected to be infected bats. Coronaviruses can infect many animal species, such as cows, camels, and maybe your pet cat. The pathogen most often transmits to humans through direct contact with infected pets and animals or through contaminated animal products, such as meat.
The coronavirus's initial symptoms can develop days after it has entered the body. The cycle of COVID-19 infection is generally 2–14 days after exposure to a virus. Symptoms of varying severity may occur during this respiratory disease, case by case.
You might recall that older people and those with weakened immune systems had to be especially protected during the pandemic. These individuals are at increased risk for a more severe course of the disease and more serious symptoms. However, in the case of infected people, a healthy immune system can leave many infected without any symptoms but spread the virus. Learn about the common signs of coronavirus disease.
The disease is relatively mild in children, but adults can also experience a mild form of the disease. The presence of such symptoms includes fever. Fever, sometimes up to 38-39°C, usually with chills. Another symptom is shortness of breath associated with wheezing and a feeling of tightness in the chest. Patients may experience a nonproductive cough, which tends to be worse during the day with exertion and at night.
You could also get a sore throat and diarrhea. Excessive tiredness and the inability to carry out any activity are additional features of coronavirus infection, usually accompanied by muscle pain and a headache. Nausea, characterized by a sensation of discomfort and vomiting, can also occur in patients. A runny nose is also common. These non-specific symptoms make coronavirus disease mimic other common infections, such as the flu. But one difference is with coronavirus - you lose your sense of smell and taste. This facilitates a faster diagnosis of the disease.
In some cases, coronavirus leads to a harsher disease process. It is especially for patients who are immunocompromised or have comorbidities. These patients can have very challenging breathing and may need to wear a special mask supplying oxygen during infection. These include blue lips and faces with severe shortness of breath. They also develop extreme chest pain.
Psychological symptoms like anxiety and depression follow this. Very severe cases can confuse, as demonstrated by wandering and a deteriorated mental state. If you experience or witness any severe symptoms do not delay in rushing to the hospital. People in an extremely ill state often have to be in a hospital because the condition can cause very serious complications and even death.
In certain scenarios, coronavirus disease may cause serious health problems. These are cases in which patients are left untreated or treated incorrectly or when the infection is involved with other conditions. Complications from coronavirus can become life-threatening.
Take a look at the potential consequences of the coronavirus disease. The list of COVID-19 complications is far longer than the few examples below. It is important to keep checking symptoms and to act quickly because some complications of this viral infection are infrequent and can be hard to diagnose.
Acute respiratory failure is one of the most severe complications of COVID-19. It happens when the lungs cannot provide enough oxygen to the body. This complication needs urgent medical assistance and ventilator setup. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which involves more intense inflammation of the lungs, is an even more advanced stage of the same problem.
Coronavirus disease can cause damage to one organ or another. For example, an acute liver injury, a sequela requiring intensive ward care and sometimes transplantation, is an adverse effect. Heart damage is also possible. It presents as a rapid decline in the function of the heart muscle or heart failure. In severe instances, it may trigger a coronary heart attack or arrhythmia, which is considerable.
Septic shock is a serious illness in which a bodywide infection leads to low blood pressure. In these situations, the virus triggers a quick and severe drop in blood pressure as well as the failure of multiple organs.
Secondary infections are infections that happen in the course of primary COVID-19 disease as a complication. Suppose the immune system is weakened in some way. In that case, the body will be more prone to different kinds of bacteria, viruses, or fungi, and that could cause further complications, like pneumonia, sepsis, or urinary tract infections.
The doctor examines all the symptoms that are present in a particular case during the interview with the patient. A patient may then be given a special test if they are suspected of having coronavirus. Various methods can detect the virus in the body. Occasionally, more tests are needed to offer insight. Read about the diagnostic methods that specialists apply in patients with coronavirus disease.
Swabbing the back of the nose and throat is a diagnostic test that became widely available for COVID-19. Therefore, you take a sample of mucus from the nasopharynx because this is where the virus replicates and is present in high quantity in the early phase of the disease. Possessing this genetic material allows doctors to check for the virus through a PCR or rapid antigen test and make a diagnosis. Swabs from other sites are also possible. For example mouth swabs and bronchoalveolar lavage could be studied.
In the event that a patient is diagnosed with a serious case of coronavirus, however, further testing might be needed. A doctor will do a complete blood count for patients in the hospital. It helps them study the functional ability of the kidneys, liver, and other organs. There are also different alterations in blood platelet number and its status and high amounts of inflammatory markers. As a result, the infection process can be paced, and these tests can assess its course. Also, doctors can monitor the body's response to the infection.
Because coronavirus disease primarily affects the lungs, imaging tests are also practical in some cases. Helpful tests may be a chest X-ray, a chest CT scan, and a lung ultrasound. These tests show different opacities in the lung field. Physicians can also detect pleural effusion. However, imaging tests cannot tell you if you have coronavirus.
Various methods are employed depending on the severity of the illness resulting from the virus. Doctors often prescribe antiviral drugs, which can prevent the pathogen from reproducing even early in the disease. There are also immune-modulating drugs, which help the immune system work better in the later stages. In addition, if severe symptoms are uncomfortable, patients can take painkillers.
In worse cases, the doctor supplies oxygen to the patients through mechanical ventilation. As a consequence of the pandemic, scientists have also raced to create vaccines. In 2025, several vaccines were updated to target specific variants of the virus, making them more effective. No vaccine can ultimately offer 100% protection, but it remains our best weapon against the pandemic.
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