What are Coronaviruses?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are known to cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

What is Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new strain of coronavirus that has not been previously identified in humans. The COVID-19 is the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, Hubei province, China.

What is the risk of the COVID-19 coming to the District of Columbia?

There have been cases of community spread of COVID-19 reported in several states. Community spread means the spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown. At this time, however, most people in the United States will have little immediate risk of exposure to this virus. There is no evidence of community spread in DC.

What are the symptoms of this disease?

We are still learning more about the symptoms that this virus causes in infected people as the outbreak progresses. Symptoms associated with coronaviruses can vary:

Common coronaviruses can cause symptoms similar to a common cold, such as fever, cough, sore throat, and feeling unwell.
The symptoms that are currently being seen with the current coronavirus infection are fever and respiratory symptoms such as cough and shortness of breath.
The coronaviruses SARS and MERS cause more severe symptoms, such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath that progress to pneumonia, and can be fatal.

What are the symptoms and complications that COVID-19 can cause?

Current symptoms have included mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough and difficulty breathing.

How is coronavirus (COVID-19) transmitted, and when will someone get sick if they’re exposed?

Currently, it is thought that the coronavirus (COVID-19) virus spreads from person-to-person between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
Based on what we know from other coronaviruses, we think that symptoms may appear anywhere from 2-14 days after someone was exposed.
When person-to-person spread occurred with other coronaviruses, such as MERS and SARS, it is thought to have happened via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person sneezed or coughed, similar to other respiratory viruses.

How can I prevent myself from becoming sick with COVID-19?

Right now, this virus has not been found to be spreading in the United States, so there are no specific precautions that people need to take to avoid COVID-19 at this time.

However, there are everyday actions to take to help prevent spread of illnesses like influenza:

It is also flu season, so getting the flu vaccine can help prevent illness
Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used if soap and water are not available
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Stay home when feeling sick
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a trash
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

Learn more

What you should know about COVID-19 (Coronavirus)