[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/03\/coronavirus-symptoms\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/03\/coronavirus-symptoms\/","headline":"The Symptoms of Coronavirus: Know the Warning Signs","name":"The Symptoms of Coronavirus: Know the Warning Signs","description":"UPMC is prepared to care for patients and staff who may be affected by COVID-19. Learn more.\u00a0 Disclaimer: At UPMC HealthBeat, we strive to provide the most up-to-date facts in our stories when we publish them. We also make updates to our content as information changes. However, education about COVID-19 can shift quickly based on […]","datePublished":"2020-03-05","dateModified":"2022-06-22","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/infectious-diseases-regions","name":"Infectious Diseases","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/infectious-diseases-regions","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/infectious-diseases\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/iStock-1134952868.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/iStock-1134952868.jpg","height":325,"width":754},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/03\/coronavirus-symptoms\/","about":["COVID-19","Living and Wellness","Safety"],"wordCount":574,"keywords":["COVID-19"],"articleBody":"UPMC is prepared to care for patients and staff who may be affected by COVID-19. Learn more.\u00a0Disclaimer: At UPMC HealthBeat, we strive to provide the most up-to-date facts in our stories when we publish them. We also make updates to our content as information changes. However, education about COVID-19 can shift quickly based on new data, emerging variants, or other factors. The information in this story was accurate as of its publish date. We also encourage you to visit other reliable websites for updated information, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and your state and local governments.\u00a0A novel coronavirus known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread globally since late December 2019.The virus causes a disease known as COVID-19, which is responsible for millions of illnesses and hundreds of thousands of deaths.COVID-19 is similar to other diseases that come from coronaviruses: SARS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, and the common cold. What warning signs should you look for?What Are the Symptoms of COVID-19?The symptoms of COVID-19 can appear anywhere from two days to two weeks after exposure to SARS-CoV-2, according to the latest information from public health authorities.The most common symptoms include:Fever or chillsCoughShortness of breath or difficulty breathingFatigueMuscle or body achesHeadacheNew loss of taste or smellSore throatCongestion or runny noseNausea or vomitingDiarrheaSymptoms can range from mild to severe and can become life-threatening. It’s also possible for asymptomatic people to spread COVID-19.Coronavirus also can cause complications like pneumonia.The symptoms of COVID-19 are like other respiratory illnesses, such as influenza (flu) or the common cold. Because of that, testing is needed to definitively diagnose it.If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, or if you have been in contact with someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, talk to your doctor about getting tested.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and some state health departments also have validated tests to diagnose COVID-19.Am I at Risk for Coronavirus Infection?You are at greatest risk for infection if you have been in close contact — within 6 feet — of someone already infected.The virus is primarily believed to spread from person to person through respiratory droplets. If an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, he or she releases droplets into the air. Those droplets can then get into the eyes, nose, or mouth of someone nearby, infecting that person.The disease also can spread if a person touches an infected surface and then touches his or her mouth, nose, or eyes. However, this method of spread is less common than droplets.CoronavirusYou can help lower your risk by following hygiene habits, including:Washing your hands regularly: Use soap and water and wash for at least 20 seconds, especially after coughing or sneezing, before eating, after using the bathroom, and after touching common surfaces.Sanitizing commonly used surfaces like tables, countertops, and moreAvoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouthCovering your mouth and nose when you sneeze and coughAvoiding contact with people who are infectedPracticing social distancing by avoiding crowded places like grocery stores and pharmacies as much as possibleWearing a cloth facemask when around people who are not from your own householdContact your health care provider immediately if you have had close contact with someone who is infected and are showing symptoms yourself."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2020","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"03","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/\/03\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"The Symptoms of Coronavirus: Know the Warning Signs","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/03\/coronavirus-symptoms\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]