Updated on November 16, 2020.
Updated on November 16, 2020 at 3:30pm EST.
Globally, more than 54 million people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in 190 different countries. The disease has also claimed more than 1.3 million lives around the world.
The United States leads the world in confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths. As of November 16, more than 11 million Americans have tested positive for the novel coronavirus—an increase of roughly one million cases in just seven days. In the U.S., more than 246,000 people have died from the disease. Due to limited testing and mild cases, which may have gone undetected, however, the number of cases and deaths is likely higher.
The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic back on March 11, noting it's the first pandemic to be caused by a coronavirus. As the infection spread across the globe, a quarter of the world's population was forced to live under some form of lockdown and follow social distancing guidelines.
The United States is one of many countries that implemented measures to "flatten the curve" and control the pandemic, which has reshaped the world and rattled global financial markets. As the number of new COVID-19 cases continue to rise in many parts of the U.S., all 50 states are managing restrictions and a range of preventative measures, which have included bans on large gatherings and the closures of schools and businesses, in order to slow the spread of the disease while trying to support their local economies.
Warning signs of infection
Those infected with COVID-19 have developed a range of symptoms associated with a respiratory infection. Researchers are still investigating how the coronavirus affects the body, but the most commonly reported symptoms include:
- Fever
- Dry cough
- Fatigue
- New loss of sense of taste or smell
- Phlegm or a productive cough
- Shortness of breath
- Sore throat
- Headache
- Muscle and joint pain
- Chills
Less commonly reported symptoms include, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea.
More severe coronavirus infections can also lead to pneumonia, kidney failure or even death.
Symptoms of COVID-19 tend to develop, on average, about five days after exposure. In some cases however, the SARS-CoV-2 incubation period—the amount of time between exposure to an infection and when symptoms begin—may be even longer than 14 days.
Some people have also tested positive for COVID-19 up to 3 days before they developed symptoms while others have tested positive even though they never developed any symptoms at all. This supports the idea that people can be infectious and shed the virus even before they realize they are sick. This has made controlling the pandemic much more challenging.
COVID-19 vs. other coronavirus outbreaks
The emergence of COVID-19 is a stark reminder of previous deadly coronavirus outbreaks, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). That illness, which is caused by SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV), was first reported in Asia in February 2003. SARS spread to more than 29 countries before it was contained. There have been no confirmed cases of that particular coronavirus since 2004.
More recently, health officials scrambled to contain an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV), which originated in Saudi Arabia in September 2012. Roughly three or four out of every 10 MERS cases has been fatal, according to the CDC. The agency points out, however, that only two cases ever reached the U.S., and both were associated with travel to the Arabian Peninsula.
COVID-19 is a disease caused by a newly identified coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2. It’s important to understand, however, that there are many coronaviruses. Most trigger mild to moderate illness and most people will be infected with one of them at some point in their lives. Only rarely do coronaviruses lead to serious illnesses, such as MERS and SARS.
The World Health Organization notes that COVID-19 is not as deadly as SARS, or MERS. By comparison, the WHO estimates that more than 80 percent of those with COVID-19 will develop only a mild infection and recover.
About 15 percent of cases result in severe illness and complications, including pneumonia and trouble breathing. Fewer still, about 5 percent, will develop very serious issues, including respiratory failure, septic shock and organ failure. As researchers continue to learn more about this new coronavirus, estimates for its mortality rate range from 0.6 to 3.4 percent.
The greatest concern is for older people and those with a weakened immune system or underlying condition, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung disease or cancer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cautions. It's important to understand however, that even otherwise healthy younger adults can also develop a more serious infection that requires hospitalization and the use of medical supplies and equipment that are in short supply. In fact, the latest CDC data shows that nearly 40 percent of U.S. patients sick enough to be hospitalized were between 20 and 54-years old. The risk of dying however, is much greater for older people.
What is a coronavirus anyway?
Coronaviruses are actually a common type of virus that cause respiratory symptoms—much like a cold—that range from mild to severe. These viruses usually circulate among animals, particularly camels as well as cats or bats. On rare occasions, animal coronaviruses can mutate and spread to people. There are several coronaviruses currently circulating among animals that have not yet infected humans.
The outbreak in China was initially linked to a large seafood and animal market in the Hubei province. Scientists believe SARS-CoV-2 originated in bats. There is also speculation that the virus then spread to pangolins before infecting humans.
How do coronaviruses spread?
Since the pandemic began, scientists have warned that COVID-19 spreads mainly through contaminated respiratory droplets that are emitted when infected people cough or sneeze and possibly when they breathe or speak.
When these droplets escape the body they may land in a nearby person’s mouth, nose or eyes. They can travel about six feet before settling on a nearby surface. If you touch a contaminated surface then touch your mouth, nose or eyes, you can also become infected.
It is not yet clear how long the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) survives on surfaces, but early evidence suggests it may persist for up to several days, depending on the type of surface and other variables, like temperature and humidity.
Under certain conditions, SARS-CoV-2 could also spread through the air, according to the CDC. Unlike contaminated respiratory droplets, airborne spread involves aerosols—even smaller particles that may waft and linger in the air. The agency notes that airborne transmission is more likely to occur indoors, particularly in areas with poor ventilation or where people are singing or exercising.
The CDC cautions that having close contact with an infected person is risky—even if those encounters are brief, or shorter than 15 minutes.
Lab tests on blood or other bodily secretions are used to detect coronaviruses among those with suspected severe coronavirus infections, such as SARS, MERS or COVID-19.
Is there a treatment?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has, so far, approved one antiviral drug called remdesivir for the treatment of adults and children age 12 and older who are hospitalized with COVID-19.
Meanwhile, scientists in the U.S. and around the world are urgently working to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. As of November, more than 200 potential vaccines are in various stages of development around the world. So far, nine have begun or will soon launch phase 3 clinical trials. On November 9, Pfizer and the German drugmaker, BioNTech, announced positive early results from their coronavirus vaccine trial. Early data from the Phase 3 trial currently underway suggests the vaccine is more than 90 percent effective against COVID-19.
On November 16, Moderna revealed its coronavirus vaccine, known as mRNA-1273, is 94.5 percent effective against COVID-19. As a result, there are now two promising vaccines in the United States shown in trials to be safe and highly effective against the disease.
Other treatments for patients with severe COVID-19 may include:
- Oxygen support, which can help the body get the oxygen it needs until the lungs are able to recover
- Corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone or hydrocortisone, which are used to suppress the immune system and ease inflammation, swelling and edema
- Convalescent plasma, SARS-CoV-2 antibodies collected from people who have recovered from COVID-19
- IV fluids, blood thinners and other medication to treat COVID-19-related complications
Monoclonal antibodies, laboratory-made versions of natural antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, are another experimental COVID-19 treatment still under investigation.
How to protect yourself
Like the seasonal flu, there are steps you can take to prepare for COVID-19 and reduce your risk of infection, including:
- Washing your hands well and often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Not touching any part of your face, including your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands
- Avoiding people with suspected or confirmed infections
If you believe you were exposed to COVID-19 or if you, or someone in your home, has symptoms consistent with a respiratory infection, don’t panic.
Instead, take immediate steps to isolate yourself to avoid spreading your illness to others. This means keeping distance between yourself and the other people in your home. Call your healthcare provider (HCP) for instructions. Do not go to your doctor’s office without calling ahead first and letting the office staff know that you suspect you’ve been exposed to COVID-19.
Your doctor should determine if you can be treated at home, and also determine if you should be tested for the coronavirus and where that should be done.
If you develop serious warning signs of COVID-19, however, you need to seek immediate medical attention. These red flags may include:
- Extreme difficulty breathing (such as gasping for air, being unable to talk without feeling out of breath, severe wheezing)
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion or disorientation
- Bluish lips or face
- Signs of low blood pressure (too weak to stand, dizziness, lightheadedness, feeling cold, pale, clammy skin)
- Dehydration (dry lips and mouth, not urinating much, sunken eyes)
- New or worsening seizures
- Loss of consciousness or difficulty waking up or staying awake
Call 911 and let the operator know that you have or think you may have COVID-19. If you have a medical mask, put it on before help arrives.
