Coronavirus
IN
THIS ARTICLE
A coronavirus is a kind of common virus
that causes an infection in your nose, sinuses, or upper throat. Most coronaviruses
are not dangerous.
Some types of them are serious, though. About 858 people
have died from Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), which first appeared in
2012 in Saudi Arabia and then in other countries in the Middle East, Africa,
Asia, and Europe. In April 2014, the first American was hospitalized for MERS
in Indiana and another case was reported in Florida. Both had just returned
from Saudi Arabia. In May 2015, there was an outbreak of MERS in Korea, which
was the largest outbreak outside of the Arabian Peninsula. In 2003, 774 people
died from a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak. As of 2015, there were no
further reports of cases of SARS. MERS and SARS are types of coronaviruses.
But in early January 2020, the World Health Organization
identified a new type: 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China. By late
January, there were 300 confirmed cases in China and a death count that was
still in the single digits, but rising. And despite airport screenings, a
traveler had brought the first case to the U.S.
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Often a coronavirus causes upper respiratory infection
symptoms like a stuffy nose, cough, and sore throat. You can treat them with
rest and over-the-counter medication.
The coronavirus can also cause middle ear infections in children.
What Is a Coronavirus?
Coronaviruses were first identified in the 1960s, but we
don't know where they come from. They get their name from their crown-like
shape. Sometimes, but not often, a coronavirus can infect both animals and
humans.
Most coronaviruses spread the same way other cold-causing
viruses do: through infected people coughing and sneezing, by touching an infected person's
hands or face, or by touching things such as doorknobs that infected people
have touched.
Almost everyone gets a coronavirus infection at least
once in their life, most likely as a young child. In the United States,
coronaviruses are more common in the fall and winter, but anyone can come down
with a coronavirus infection at any time.
Common Symptoms of Coronavirus
The symptoms of most coronaviruses are similar to any
other upper respiratory infection, including runny
nose, coughing, sore throat, and sometimes a fever. In most
cases, you won't know whether you have a coronavirus or a different
cold-causing virus, such as rhinovirus.
You could get lab tests, including nose and throat
cultures and blood work, to find out whether your cold
was caused by a coronavirus, but there's no reason to. The test results wouldn't
change how you treat your symptoms, which typically go away in a few days.
But if a coronavirus infection spreads to the lower
respiratory tract (your windpipe and your lungs),
it can cause pneumonia, especially in older people, people
with heart disease, or people with weakened immune
systems.
What to Do About Coronavirus
There is no vaccine for
coronavirus. To help prevent a coronavirus infection, do the same things you do
to avoid the common cold:
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap
and warm water or with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Keep your hands and fingers away from your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Avoid close contact with people who are infected.
You treat a coronavirus infection the same way you treat
a cold:
- Get plenty of rest.
- Drink fluids.
- Take over-the-counter medicine for a sore throat and fever. But don't
give aspirin to children or teens younger
than 19; use ibuprofen or acetaminophen instead.
A humidifier or steamy shower can also help ease a sore
and scratchy throat.
Even when a coronavirus causes MERS or SARS in other
countries, the kind of coronavirus infection common in the U.S. isn't a serious
threat for an otherwise healthy adult. If you get sick, treat your symptoms and
contact a doctor if they get worse or don't go away.
WebMD
Medical Reference Reviewed by Brunilda
Nazario, MD on January 22, 2020
