Coronaviruses
(CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common
cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
(MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a new
strain that was discovered in 2019 and has not been previously identified in
humans.
Coronaviruses
are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people.
Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet
cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans. Several known
coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.
Common
signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of
breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause
pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even
death.
Standard
recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing,
covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and
eggs. Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness
such as coughing and sneezing.
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