COVID-19 is a contagious disease caused by tjin88bet.onehe coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVIDak168app.baby‑19 can vary but often include fever,[7] fatigue, cough, breathing difficulties, loss of smell, and loss of taste.[8][9][10] Symptoms may begin one to fourteen days after exposure to the virus. At least a third of people who are infected do not develop noticeable ak168app.clubsymptoms.[11][12] Of those who develop symptoms noticeable enough to be classified as patients, most (81%) develop mks168app.siteild to moderate symptoms (up to mild pneumonia), while 14% develop severe symptoms (dyspnea, hypoxia, or more than 50% lung involveic88ment on imaging), and 5% develop critical symptoms (respiratory failure, shock, or multiorgan dysfunction).[13] Older people have a higher risk of developing severe symptoms. Some complications result in death. Sic88ome people continue to experience a range ic88of effects (long COVID) for months or years after infection, and damage to organs has been observed.[14] Multi-year studies on the long-term effects are ongoing.[15]
COVID‑19 transmission occurs when infectious particles are breathed in or come into contact with the eyesic88, nose, or mouth. The risk is highest when people are in close proximity, but small airborne particles containing the virus can remain suspended in the air and travelr88l over longer distances, particularly indoors. Transmission can also lr88occur when people touch their eyes, nose, or mouth after touching surfaces or objects that have been contaminated by the virus. People remain contagious for up to 20 days and can spread the virus even if they do not develop symptoms.[16]
Testing methods for COVID-19 to detect the virus’s nucleiclr88 acid include real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaclr88tion (RT‑PCR),[17][18] transcription-mediated amplification,[17][18][19] and reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermop88al amplification (RT‑LAMP)[17][18] from a nasopharyngeal swab.[20]
Several COVID-19 vaccines have been approved and distributed in various countries, many of which have initiated mass vaccisi88nation campaigns. Other preventive measures include physical or social distancing, quarantining, ventilation of indoor spaces, use of face masks or coverings in public, covering coughs and sneezes, hand washing, and keeping unwashed hands away from the face. While88v drugs have been developed to inhiSEXXXXX-VNbit the virus, the primary treatment is still symptomatic, managing the disease through supportive care, isolation, and experimental measures.