Common symptoms

Common symptoms include :

• Shortness of breath;
• Dry cough;
• Fever;
• Muscle pain;
• Headache;
• Sore throat;
• Chills;
• Fatigue;
• Runny nose or congestion;
• Loss of taste and or smell.

While the majority of cases result in mild symptoms, some progress to viral pneumonia, multi-organ failure, or cytokine storm. The time from exposure to onset of symptoms is typically around five days but may range from two to fourteen days.

The virus is primarily spread between people during close contact, often via small droplets produced by coughing, sneezing, and talking.

The droplets usually fall to the ground or onto surfaces rather than remaining in the air over long distances. People may also become infected by touching a contaminated surface and then touching their face. On surfaces, the amount of virus declines over time until it is insufficient to remain infectious, but it may be detected for hours or days.