The World Health Organization (WHO) explains that coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness, ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). This particular episode, which first appeared in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, has been named “Covid-19”.
Symptoms include a high fever, a new, continuous cough, and loss of, or change to, one’s sense of smell or taste. Some may suffer from a mild illness and recover easily, while in other cases, infection can progress to pneumonia. Symptoms can appear in as few as two days after infection or as long as 10 days.
Reports suggest that the elderly, those with weakened immune systems, diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease are the most susceptible to serious illness and death.
