What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. WHO first became aware of this new virus on December 31, 2019, when a cluster of cases of “viral pneumonia” were reported in Wuhan, People’s Republic of China.

What are the symptoms of covid -19

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 include:

fever;

dry cough;

fatigue.

loss of smell or taste;

nasal congestion;

headache;

muscle or joint pain;

various types of skin rashes;

A severe course of COVID-19 is manifested by the following symptoms:

dyspnea;

loss of appetite;

confusion of consciousness;

persistent pain or a feeling of tightness in the chest;

high body temperature (above 38 ° C).

What should patients with severe disease do?

The majority (about 80%) of patients who develop symptoms of the disease recover without the need for hospitalization. About 15% of patients develop a serious form of the disease, which requires oxygen therapy, and 5% – an extremely severe form that requires treatment in an intensive care unit. Fatal complications can occur, including respiratory failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis and septic shock, thromboembolism, and / or multiple organ failure, including heart, liver, or kidney damage. In rare cases, children may develop severe inflammatory syndrome several weeks after infection.

Who is at risk of severe illness?

People aged 60 and over are at risk for severe disease, as well as people with underlying health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart and lung disease, diabetes, obesity, or cancer.

What are express tests?

Rapid tests (also called rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs)) detect the presence of viral proteins (called antigens). A sample of material is obtained from the nasal cavity or from the throat using a swab. These tests are less expensive than PCR and provide faster results, although they tend to be less accurate. The results of such tests are most reliable in conditions of intensive circulation of the virus among the population and in those cases when a sample of the material is taken during the period of the greatest infectiousness of the carrier of the infection.

What test should be done to confirm or rule out COVID-19?

In most cases, molecular testing is used to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus and confirm infection. The most common molecular diagnostic method is polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

What test allows you to clarify the fact of a previously transferred COVID-19?

Antibody testing can detect a previous infection, even if it was asymptomatic. These tests are also known as serological tests and usually require blood samples to measure the level of antibodies produced in response to infection.