ALL ABOUT

COVID

SUBMITTED BY:

SOPHIA CARMINA V. SALARDA

SUBMITTED TO:

MS. RESWEETCEL BONGABONG

Coronavirus cause: Origin and how it spreads

Many health experts believe that the new strain of coronavirus likely originated in
bats or pangolins. The first transmission to humans was in Wuhan, China. Since
then, the virus has mostly spread through person-to-person contact.

Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that can cause disease in both animals and
humans. The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus strain known as
SARS-CoV is an example of a coronavirus. SARS spread rapidly in 2002–2003.

The new strain of coronavirus is called severe acute respiratory syndrome

coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus causes coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19).

Stay informed with live updates on the current COVID-19 outbreak and visit
our coronavirus hub for more advice on prevention and treatment.

Around 80%Trusted Source of people with COVID-19 recover without specialist

treatment. These people may experience mild, flu-like symptoms. However, 1 in 6
peopleTrusted Source may experience severe symptoms, such as trouble breathing.

The new coronavirus has spread rapidly in many parts of the world. On March 11,
2020, the World Health Organization (WHO)Trusted Source declared COVID-19 a
pandemic. A pandemic occurs when a disease that people are not immune to
spreads across large regions.

What caused coronavirus?

Share on PinterestAvoiding close contact with people may help stop the spread of
SARS-CoV-2.

The recent outbreak began in Wuhan, a city in the Hubei province of China. Reports
of the first COVID-19 cases started in December 2019.
Coronaviruses are common in certain species of animals, such as cattle and camels.
Although the transmission of coronaviruses from animals to humans is rareTrusted
Source, this new strain likely came from bats, though one study suggests pangolins
may be the origin.

However, it remains unclear exactly how the virus first spread to humans.

Some reports trace the earliest cases back to a seafood and animal market in

Wuhan. It may have been from here that SARS-CoV-2 started to spread to humans.

The CDCTrusted Source recommends that people wear cloth face masks in public

places where it is difficult to maintain physical distancing. This will help slow the
spread of the virus from people who do not know that they have contracted it,
including those who are asymptomatic. People should wear cloth face masks while
continuing to practice physical distancing.

How it spreads

SARS-CoV-2 spreads from person to person through close communities.

When people with COVID-19 breathe out or cough, they expel tiny droplets that
contain the virus. These droplets can enter the mouth or nose of someone without
the virus, causing an infection to occur.

The most common way that this illness spreads is through close contact with
someone who has the infection. Close contact is within around 6 feetTrusted Source.

The disease is most contagious when a person’s symptoms are at their peak.
However it is possible for someone without symptoms to spread the virus. A new
study suggests that 10% of infections are from people exhibiting no symptoms.

Droplets containing the virus can also land on nearby surfaces or objects. Other
people can pick up the virus by touching these surfaces or objects. Infection is likely
if the person then touches their nose, eyes, or mouth.
It is important to note that COVID-19 is new, and research is still ongoing. There may
also be other ways that the new coronavirus can spread.

Is it more dangerous than other viruses?

Most cases of COVID-19 are not serious. However, it can cause symptoms that
become severe, leading to death in some cases.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has been sudden. This makes it difficult to estimate how
often the disease becomes severe or the exact rate of mortality.

One report suggests that out of 1,099 people with confirmed cases in China,
around 16% became severe. Another report estimates that about 3.6%Trusted
Source of the confirmed cases in China led to death.

These figures are likely to change as the situation evolves. However, they suggest
that COVID-19 is more deadly than influenza. For example, seasonal influenza
typically leads to death in less than 0.1%Trusted Source of cases.

When testing becomes easier and more widespread, health experts will have a more
accurate insight into the exact number of severe cases and deaths.

SARS is another type of coronavirus. It became a global pandemic in 2002–2003.

Around 9.6%Trusted Source of SARS cases led to death. However, COVID-19 is
more contagious, and it is already the cause of more deaths worldwide.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of COVID-19 includeTrusted Source:

 a fever

 breathlessness
  a cough

 a sore throat

 a headache

 muscle pain

 chills

 new loss of taste or smell

These symptoms are likely to occur 2–14 daysTrusted Source after exposure to the

virus.

Risk factors

Some factors can affect the risk of coming into contact with the virus, while other
factors can affect the risk of developing severe illness.

The risk of coming into contact with the virus depends on how far it has spread in a
person’s local area.

The WHOTrusted Source state that the risk of developing COVID-19 is still low for
most people. However, this is changing as the virus spreads — particularly in Europe
and the United States.

The risk is higher for anyone in close contact with people who have COVID-19, such
as healthcare workers. Viruses can also spread more in certain areas, such as highly
populated cities.

Older adults are most at risk of severe illness, as are people with the following
chronic health conditions:

 serious heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or

cardiomyopathies

 kidney disease
  chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

 obesity, which occurs in people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher

 sickle cell disease

 a weakened immune system from a solid organ transplant

 type 2 diabetes

Prevention

Finding effective ways to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 remains a global

challenge.

Many viruses are preventable through antiviral vaccinations. However, it takes time
to develop and distribute safe and effective vaccines. A vaccine for COVID-19 is
unlikely to be available any time soon.

Learn about some of the strategies for creating a coronavirus vaccine here.

The best way to prevent the virus from spreading is by avoiding close contact with
people with COVID-19 and washing the hands regularly.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source recommend

washing the hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds per time. This is
particularly important after being in public places.

When soap is not available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60%Trusted

Source alcohol. Avoid touching the face before washing the hands.

Governments, public bodies, and other organizations are also taking measures to
prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Look out for announcements of any new
measures to stay up to date.
People with COVID-19 should stay at home and avoid contact with other people to
prevent the illness from spreading. Keep surrounding surfaces as clean as possible
and avoid sharing household items.

Always cover the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. Face masks are
generally necessary for people who have the illness. Anyone who has regular
contact with people with COVID-19 should also wear a face mask.

About COVID-19

COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-

CoV-2 and was discovered in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. It is very contagious
and has quickly spread around the world.

COVID-19 most often causes respiratory symptoms that can feel much like a cold, a
flu, or pneumonia. COVID-19 may attack more than your lungs and respiratory
system. Other parts of your body may also be affected by the disease.

 Most people with COVID-19 have mild symptoms, but some people become
severely ill.
 Some people including those with minor or no symptoms may suffer from post-
COVID conditions — or “long COVID”.
 Older adults and people who have certain underlying medical conditions are at
increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
 Hundreds of thousands of people have died from COVID-19 in the United
States.
 Vaccines against COVID-19 are safe and effective. Vaccines teach our immune
system to fight the virus that causes COVID-19.

About SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19

COVID-19 is caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2. It is part of the coronavirus

family, which include common viruses that cause a variety of diseases from head or
chest colds to more severe (but more rare) diseases like severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).
Like many other respiratory viruses, coronaviruses spread quickly through droplets
that you project out of your mouth or nose when you breathe, cough, sneeze, or
speak.

The word corona means crown and refers to the appearance that coronaviruses get
from the spike proteins sticking out of them. These spike proteins are important to
the biology of this virus. The spike protein is the part of the virus that attaches to a
human cell to infect it, allowing it to replicate inside of the cell and spread to other
cells. Some antibodies can protect you from SARS-CoV-2 by targeting these spike
proteins. Because of the importance of this specific part of the virus, scientists
who sequence the virus for research constantly monitor mutations causing changes
to the spike protein through a process called genomic surveillance.

As genetic changes to the virus happen over time, the SARS-CoV-2 virus begins to
form genetic lineages. Just as a family has a family tree, the SARS-CoV-2 virus can
be similarly mapped out. Sometimes branches of that tree have different attributes
that change how fast the virus spreads, or the severity of illness it causes, or the
effectiveness of treatments against it. Scientists call the viruses with these changes
“variants”. They are still SARS-CoV-2, but may act differently.

Antibodies and COVID-19

Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can be detected in the
blood of people who have recovered from COVID-19 or people who have been
vaccinated against COVID-19. Getting a vaccine is safer than getting COVID-19, and
vaccination against COVID-19 is recommended for everyone 5 years of age and
older. If someone has already had COVID-19, vaccination against COVID-19
increases their body’s antibody response, which improves their protection.

It is important to remember that some people with antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 may

become infected after vaccination (vaccine breakthrough infection) or after
recovering from a past infection (reinfected). Based on what we know right now, risk
of reinfection is low for at least the first 6 months following an infection with the virus
that causes COVID-19 diagnosed by a laboratory test. When someone who is fully
vaccinated gets COVID-19, it is called a vaccine breakthrough infection. No vaccine
is 100% effective, so some breakthrough infections are expected. The risk of
infection, severe illness, hospitalization, and death are all much lower for vaccinated
people compared to people who are unvaccinated. When reinfections or
breakthrough infections happen, having antibodies plays an important role in helping
prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

For many diseases, including COVID-19, antibodies are expected to decrease or

“wane” over time. After a long enough period of time, your level of antibodies can
decrease below a level that provides effective protection. This level is called the
“threshold of protection.” When antibodies decrease below the threshold of
protection, you may become more vulnerable to severe illness. We do not yet know
what the threshold of protection for antibodies is for the virus that causes COVID-19
or how long it takes these antibodies to wane. Even after antibodies wane, your
immune system may have cells that remember the virus that can act quickly to
protect you from severe illness if you become infected. These topics are being
researched by scientists all over the world.

I have COVID-19 antibodies. What does it mean?

A positive antibody test result can help identify someone who has had COVID-19 in
the past or has been vaccinated against COVID-19. Antibody tests are not used if
you have symptoms of COVID-19 or for diagnosing a current case of COVID-19.
This is because it takes most people with a healthy immune system 1 to 3 weeks
after getting COVID-19 to develop antibodies. A viral test is recommended to identify
a current infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. More information about the
role and uses of antibody testing is available.

Most people who have a positive antibody test result can continue with normal
activities, including work, but they should still take steps to protect themselves and
others, including getting vaccinated.

Studies show that people who have antibodies from an infection with the virus that
causes COVID-19 can improve their level of protection by getting vaccinated.
A positive antibody test result alone, especially one from an infection at an unknown
time or that was determined by a viral test more than 6 months ago, does not
necessarily mean that you are immune to getting COVID-19. If you have had an
antibody test, it is important to review your test results with your healthcare provider.

Watch for Symptoms

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from
mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to
the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms. People with these symptoms
may have COVID-19:

 Fever or chills
 Cough
 Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
 Fatigue
 Muscle or body aches
 Headache
 New loss of taste or smell
 Sore throat
 Congestion or runny nose
 Nausea or vomiting
 Diarrhea
This list does not include all possible symptoms. CDC will continue to update this list
as we learn more about COVID-19. Older adults and people who have severe
underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at
higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness.

When to Seek Emergency Medical Attention

Look for emergency warning signs* for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of
these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:

 Trouble breathing
 Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
 New confusion
 Inability to wake or stay awake
  Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone
*This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any
other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

Call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility: Notify the operator that you
are seeking care for someone who has or may have COVID-19.

Difference between COVID-19 & Flu

Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are
caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a new coronavirus
(called SARS-CoV-2), and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses.

COVID-19 seems to spread more easily than flu and causes more serious illnesses
in some people. It can also take longer before people show symptoms and people
can be contagious for longer. More information about differences between flu and
COVID-19 is available in the different sections below.

Because some of the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, it may be hard to
tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone, and testing may be
needed to help confirm a diagnosis.

While more is learned every day about COVID-19 and the virus that causes it, there
is still a lot that is unknown. This page compares COVID-19 and flu, given the best
available information to date.