2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Coronavirus - World Health Organization Health topics

Make sure you wash your hands with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, clean your hands with hand sanitizer.

When coughing or sneezing:

Cover your nose and mouth with a clean napkin and confirm to throw the used napkin within the trash immediately.

If a napkin isn't available, confirm you employ the highest of your sleeve, not your hands

Try to avoid any contact with people that show symptoms of respiratory diseases like coughing or sneezing

Make sure you eat a healthy, diet

If you've got flu symptoms, use a mask to avoid infecting others

Visit the closest clinic or hospital if you've got any flu symptoms

Always wash your hands

After coughing or sneezing

Before, during and after preparing food

Before eating

After using the restroom

When caring for patients

When your hands are dirty

After handling animals

Avoid touching your nose, eyes, and mouth with unclean hands

Avoid contact with stray, sick or dead animals

Make sure to cook your food thoroughly, especially meat and eggs, and avoid raw food

Avoid unnecessary travels to infected countries

Q&A on coronaviruses (COVID-19)

What is a coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are an outsized family of viruses which can cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections starting from the cold to more severe diseases like Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). the foremost recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19.

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is that the communicable disease caused by the foremost recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. COVID-19 is now an epidemic affecting many countries globally.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, pharyngitis or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and start gradually. Some people become infected but only have very mild symptoms. most of the people (about 80%) get over the disease without having hospital treatment. Around 1 out of each 5 people that gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Older people, and people with underlying medical problems like high vital sign , heart and lung problems, diabetes, or cancer , are at higher risk of developing serious illness. However anyone can catch COVID-19 and become seriously ill. Even people with very mild symptoms of COVID-19 can transmit the virus. People of all ages who experience fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention

How does COVID-19 spread?

People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease spreads primarily from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, which are expelled when an individual with COVID-19 coughs, sneezes, or speaks. These droplets are relatively heavy, don't travel far and quickly sink to the bottom . People can catch COVID-19 if they inhale these droplets from an individual infected with the virus. this is often why it's important to remain a minimum of 1 metre (3 feet) faraway from others. These droplets can land on objects and surfaces round the person like tables, doorknobs and handrails. People can become infected by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. this is often why it's important to scrub your hands regularly with soap and water or clean with alcohol-based hand rub.

WHO is assessing ongoing research on the ways in which COVID-19 is spread and can still share updated findings.

What is the difference between self-isolation, self-quarantine and distancing?

Quarantine means restricting activities or separating people that aren't ill themselves but may are exposed to COVID-19. The goal is to stop spread of the disease at the time when people just develop symptoms.

Isolation means separating people that are ill with symptoms of COVID-19 and should be infectious to stop the spread of the disease.

Physical distancing means being physically apart. WHO recommends keeping a minimum of 1-metre (3 feet) distance from others. this is often a general measure that everybody should take albeit they're well with no known exposure to COVID-19.