COVID-19: Symptoms

March 24, 2020SparksHealth InformationBreathingdifficultyCOVID-19DrycoughFeverIncubation periodTiredness12

The infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus is known as COVID-19. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in China (Wuhan) in December 2019.

The incubation period (time between catching the virus or exposure to a virus and the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease) for COVID-19 range from 1-14 days, most commonly around five days.  According to findings from new studies, an infected person may be contagious even before they start to experience the first symptoms. The reproduction number (R0) of the virus is estimated to be 2–3.  This means that one infected person can infect 2 to 3 others.

Symptoms of COVID-19 are usually mild and gradual in onset. Infected persons do not usually have symptoms and majority recover from the disease without needing special medical treatment. More rarely, the disease can be serious and even fatal especially among the high-risk population https://physiosparks.com/2020/03/22/coronavirus-high-risk-population/

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 include:

• fever
• tiredness
• dry cough.
• difficult breathing (severe cases)

Other symptoms are

• sore throat
• headache
• aches and pains
• runny nose
• nasal congestion
• diarrhea/nausea/vomiting

Severe symptoms:

• High fever
• Difficult urination
• Coughing up blood

Symptoms that require immediate medical attention are

• Fever
• Breathing difficulty
• Dry cough

Note: Respiratory physiotherapists play a vital role in the management of some of these symptoms.