Coronavirus Facts

Facts on COVID-19

We present facts and myths on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). All of our data comes from official sources like the WHO and CDC when possible. Otherwise, we tried to use reputable sources like the Washington Post who sourced information from a broader array of official sources like NHC and Dingxiangyuan.^[1][2][3]

Please use official resources when it comes to medical issues, this Coronavirus fact list is only meant to help you find the right resources, give you a basic education, and point you in the right direction.

• Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that may cause illness in animals or humans. The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19.
• The proper name of the “coronavirus” going around in early 2020 is “coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)” or just “COVID-19.”
• As of Marc 25, 2020 the virus is in all continents aside from Antarctica and generally in many populated regions. That includes confirmed cases in the US, Canada, China, Japan, Russia, Australia, and the EU.
• There had been over 78,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of February 25, 2020, although most were in China where the outbreak was thought to start. There had been about 550,000 confirmed cases by March 27, 2020 with over 85,000 in the US alone. As of March 27th the US had more reported confirmed cases of COVID-19 than any country.

• There aren’t enough tests to test everyone in the US, so we only know about confirmed cases (other countries have this issue as well; for example, India). Studies however shown carriers of coronavirus can be asymptomatic.
• Coronavirus symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath according to the CDC and WHO. The longer version of the symptoms is this: The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell.
• Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who get COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. About 2% of people with the disease have died.
• People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.
• Coronavirus testing is free in the US for most Americans due to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). However, treatment is not free.

• The CDC believes at this time that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure.
• The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, these droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
• There is no cure for the Coronavirus, but in general basic practices like washing hands, social distancing, and self-quarantine (staying home and stay away from others) can help stop the spread of the virus. You should only travel outside of the house to seek medical care.

Bottomline, tests for Coronavirus are not widely available, but you should still contact a health professional if you think you have COVID-19 symptoms and otherwise follow CDC guidance on what to do if you are sick.

1. Coronavirus. who.int.
2. Coronavirus. cdc.gov.
3. Mapping Spread of New Coronavirus. WashingtonPost.com.