Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious

disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome

coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).[9] It was first identified in December
2019 in Wuhan, Hubei, China, and has resulted in an ongoing
pandemic. On 5 October, the WHO said that one in ten people
around the world (around 800 million) may have been infected
with COVID–19.[10] As of 9 October 2020, 36.5 million cases have
been reported across 188 countries and territories with more than
1.06 million deaths; more than 25.4 million people have
recovered.[8]
Common symptoms include fever, cough, fatigue, shortness of
breath or breathing difficulties, and loss of smell and taste.[6] While
most people have mild symptoms, some people develop acute
respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) possibly precipitated
by cytokine storm,[11] multi-organ failure, septic shock, and blood
clots. The incubation period may range from one to fourteen days.
[12]

The disease spreads most often when people are physically

close.[a] It spreads very easily and sustainably through the air,
primarily via small droplets and sometimes in aerosols, as an
infected person breathes, coughs, sneezes, talks, or sings.[14][15] It
may also be transmitted via contaminated surfaces, although this
has not been conclusively demonstrated.[15][16][17] It can spread for
up to two days prior to symptom onset and from people who are
asymptomatic.[15] People remain infectious for seven to twelve
days in moderate cases and up to two weeks in severe cases.[15]
[12]
 The standard method of diagnosis is by real-time reverse
transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) from
a nasopharyngeal swab. Chest CT imaging may also be helpful
for diagnosis in individuals where there is a high suspicion of
infection based on symptoms and risk factors, however guidelines
do not recommend using it for routine screening.
Recommended measures to prevent infection include
frequent hand washing, social distancing, quarantine, covering
coughs and sneezes, and keeping unwashed hands away from
the face.[7] The use of face masks or cloth face coverings such as
a scarf or a bandana has been recommended by health officials in
public settings to minimise the risk of transmissions, with some
authorities requiring their use in certain settings, such as on public
transport and in shops. Health officials also stated that medical-
grade face masks, such as N95 masks, should be used only by
healthcare workers, first responders, and those who directly care
for infected individuals.
There are no proven vaccines or specific treatments for COVID-
19 yet, though several are in development. Management involves
the treatment of symptoms, supportive care, isolation,
and experimental measures. The World Health
Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a Public
Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)[18][19] on 30
January 2020 and a pandemic on 11 March 2020.[20] Local
transmission of the disease has occurred in most countries across
all six WHO regions.[21]
Longer-term damage to organs (in particular lungs and heart) has
been observed, and there is concern about a significant number
of patients who have recovered from the acute phase of the
disease but continue to experience a range of effects including
severe fatigue, memory loss and other cognitive issues, low grade
fever, muscle weakness, breathlessness and other symptoms for
months afterwards.[22][23][24][25][26]