What is corona virus

A coronavirus is a kind of common virus that causes an infection in your nose, sinuses, or upper throat. Most coronaviruses aren't dangerous.In early 2020, after a December 2019 outbreak in China, the World Health Organization identified SARS-CoV-2 as a new type of coronavirus. The outbreak quickly spread around the world. COVID-19 is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 that can trigger what doctors call a respiratory tract infection. It spreads the same way other coronaviruses do, mainly through person-to-person contact. Infections range from mild to deadly. SARS-CoV-2 is one of seven types of coronavirus, including the ones that cause severe diseases like Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and sudden acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The other coronaviruses cause most of the colds that affect us during the year but aren't a serious threat for otherwise healthy people. An early Chinese study of 103 COVID-19 cases found two strains, which they named L and S. The S type is older, but the L type was more common in early stages of the outbreak. They think one may cause more cases of the disease than the other, but they're still working on what it all means. It is also normal for a virus to change, or mutate, as it infects people and this virus has done so. There are several variants that are now spreading, some proving to be more contagious as well as more deadly than the original virus. Throughout the pandemic, scientists have kept a close eye on variants like: Alpha Beta Gamma Delta Omicron Lambda Mu BA.2 There's no way to tell how long the pandemic will continue. There are many factors, including the public's efforts to slow the spread, researchers' work to learn more about the virus, their search for a treatment, and the success of the vaccines. Symptoms of COVID-19 The main symptoms include: Fever Coughing Shortness of breath Trouble breathing Fatigue Chills, sometimes with shaking Body aches Headache Sore throat Congestion/runny nose Loss of smell or taste Nausea Diarrhea Even if you have mild symptoms like a headache and runny nose, stay in until you're better. This lets doctors focus on people who are more seriously ill and protects health care workers and people you might meet along the way. You might hear this called self-quarantine. Try to stay in a separate room away from other people in your home. Use a separate bathroom if you can. You need to get medical help as soon as possible. Calling ahead (rather than showing up) will let the doctor direct you to the proper place, which may not be your doctor's office. If you don't have a regular doctor, call your local board of health. They can tell you where to go for testing and treatment. Researchers aren't sure what caused it, and investigations as to its origin are ongoing. There's more than one type of coronavirus. They're common in people and in animals including bats, camels, cats, and cattle. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is similar to MERS and SARS. They all came from bats. Anyone can get COVID-19, and most infections are mild. The older you are, the higher your risk of severe illness. You also a have higher chance of serious illness if you have one of these health conditions: Chronic kidney disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) A weakened immune system because of an organ transplant Obesity Serious heart conditions such as heart failure or coronary artery disease Sickle cell disease Type 2 diabetes Conditions that could lead to severe COVID-19 illness include: Moderate to severe asthma Diseases that affect your blood vessels and blood flow to your brain Cystic fibrosis High blood pressure A weakened immune system because of a blood or bone marrow transplant, HIV, or medications like corticosteroids Dementia Liver disease Pregnancy Damaged or scarred lung tissue (pulmonary fibrosis) Smoking Thalassemia Type 1 diabetes Depression Anxiety Schizophrenia