News

Current Situation

 The virus causes a cough and fever in the majority of symptomatic cases. These are very broad symptoms and overlap with many other illnesses including influenza (we are in the midst of a comparatively heavy flu season).
 The virus can kill some individuals. Though we do not know all the facts, it appears that older populations and those with other diseases such as coronary artery disease and diabetes are affected more severely by the virus.
 There are currently no medications or vaccines for this virus. The only tools we have to control spread are old fashioned public health measures such as isolation, quarantine, and social distancing.

What we think that we know:
 The maximum incubation period is estimated to be 14 days. This is extrapolated from other corona viruses. The majority of individuals studied closely have come down with symptoms within 5-6 days of exposure.
 The disease appears to spread more commonly among close contacts (e.g. families). There are, however, documented cases of transmission in relatively limited settings (e.g. giving a ride to another individual).
 The disease does not appear to make children particularly ill. There is currently only one pediatric death in the world that has been attributed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to this disease. Once more testing is done, we may establish that children are a component of the transmission chain but appear to have relatively mild expression of illness.
 COVID-19 Operational Update Some with minimal symptoms appear to have a high viral load in their body, which may mean they are still capable of transmitting the disease.