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What is a Virus
▶ Source [https://openwho.org/courses/introduction-to-ncov]
▣ Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are known to cause illness ranging
from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory
Syndrome(MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome(SARS).
A novel coronavirus(COVID-19) was identified in 2019.
This is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified in humans.
As the official disease name was established after material creation, any mention of
nCoV refers to COVID-19, the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered
coronavirus.
▶ Source [https://openwho.org/courses/introduction-to-ncov]
▣ Influenza(Flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are
caused by different viruses.
COVID-19 is caused by infection with a new coronavirus(called SARS-CoV-2) and flu is
caused by infection with influenza viruses.
There are some key differences between flu and COVID-19.
COVID-19 seems to spread more easily than flu and causes more serious illnesses in
some people.
It can also take longer before people show symptoms and people can be contagious for
longer.
▶ Source [https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symtoms.html]
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