What is coronavirus respiratory syndrome?

The coronavirus respiratory syndrome is the generic term for the illness caused by coronavirus. There are several types of coronaviruses. In fact, there are a number of coronaviruses that affect humans, and there are a number that affect animals. In humans, among the previously identified coronaviruses were SARS or severe acute respiratory syndrome and MERS or Middle East respiratory syndrome. In late 2019, another coronavirus respiratory syndrome was discovered. This was known as the novel coronavirus, which was eventually given the official name of COVID-19.

COVID-19 was discovered in China after several people in Wuhan City fell ill and some eventually died. The source country has since recorded more than 80,000 COVID-19 cases with deaths totaling more than 3,000. China certainly suffered the worst fate considering the global figure is close to 120,000 people infected including more than 4,250 people who died. 

As in other respiratory illnesses, the symptoms for COVID-19 are cough, fever and shortness of breath. Coughing is also one of the easiest ways to spread the disease. Sneezing, too. Human-to-human transmission of COVID-19 is through respiratory droplets. So if an infected person coughs or sneezes, people within six feet of them could contract the disease by inhaling the respiratory droplets. 

The virus spreads fast. Prevention is actually possible. People should practice proper hygiene like frequent handwashing and the use of alcohol-based sanitizer. People should also refrain from travelling to places that recorded a high number of COVID-19 cases. Among them are China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, France, Germany, USA, Japan and Switzerland.