The virus is mainly spread during close contact, and by small droplets produced when people cough, sneeze, or talk. Respiratory droplets may be produced during breathing but the virus is not generally airborne. People may also contract COVID-19 by touching a contaminated surface and then their face. It is most contagious when people are symptomatic, although spread may be possible before symptoms appear. The virus can survive on surfaces up to 72 hours. Time from exposure to onset of symptoms is generally between two and fourteen days, with an average of five days. The standard method of diagnosis is by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) from a nasopharyngeal swab. The infection can also be diagnosed from a combination of symptoms, risk factors and a chest CT scan showing features of pneumonia.
Recommended measures to prevent infection include frequent hand washing, social distancing (maintaining physical distance from others, especially from those with symptoms), covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or inner elbow, and keeping unwashed hands away from the face. The use of masks is recommended for those who suspect they have the virus and their caregivers. Recommendations for mask use by the general public vary, with some authorities recommending against their use, some recommending their use, and others requiring their use. Currently, there is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for COVID-19. Management involves treatment of symptoms, supportive care, isolation, and experimental measures. Read more...
^Countries and territories, and two international conveyances where cases were diagnosed. Nationality and location of original infection may vary. In some countries, the cases cover several territories, as noted accordingly.
^Cumulative confirmed cases reported to date. The actual number of infections and cases are likely to be higher than reported.[2]
^Total deaths may not necessarily add up due to the frequency of values updating for each individual location.
^Recovered cases. All recoveries may not be reported. Total recoveries may not necessarily add up due to the frequency of values updating for each individual location. "–" denotes that no reliable data is currently available for that territory, not that the value is zero.
All four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands [i.e. (the country - as opposed to the Kingdom - of] the Netherlands - in this table row -, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten) are listed separately.
Testing of suspected infections has been cut back in the whole country in the period around 12 March 2020, in order to focus efforts on people with increased risk of serious illness and complications.
Excluding the cases from Diamond Princess cruise ship which are classified as "on an international conveyance". Ten cases, including one fatality recorded by the Australian government.
From 13 March 2020, testing of the normal population was discontinued, and is now only reserved for health professionals and acutely ill people in vulnerable groups.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health states that there are more infected people in Norway than the figures show. The dark figures are presumed to be higher because of limited testing.[36]
Estimation of number of coronavirus infected:
As of 23 March 2020, over 40% of all GPs in Norway have been registered 20,200 patients with the "corona code" R991. The figure includes both cases where the patient has been diagnosed with coronavirus infection through testing, and where the GP has used the "corona code" after assessing the patient's symptoms against the criteria by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.[37]
As of 24 March 2020, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health estimates that between 7,120 and 23,140 Norwegians are infected with the coronavirus.[38]
From 12 March to 1 April 2020, testing primarily focussed on people with more serious symptoms, vulnerable people and health professionals. Before and after this period testing was done more broadly, among others including people with mild symptoms and people that have been in close contact with an infected person.[46]
Excluding the autonomous region of the Åland Islands.
Not all suspected infections are tested. As of 31 March 2020, testing focuses on at-risk people and patients with severe symptoms of respiratory tract infection, as well as healthcare and social welfare personnel.[63] Specimens from mildly symptomatic and returning travelers can still be taken at the discretion of the treating physician.[64]
There is no reliable or frequently published national data source which provides counts of recoveries. However, as of 1 April 2020, there have been hundreds of recoveries. The exact number is not known, as only a small proportion of patients have been hospitalized.[65]
Excluding cases from the disputedCrimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014 but remains internationally recognized as being under Ukrainian sovereignty. Because the Russian authorities are tabulating cases from Crimea, they are included in the Russian total. Also excluding cases from the unrecognized Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics.
The cruise ship MS Zaandam became stranded off the coast of Chile after being denied entry to ports since 14 March 2020.
The MS Rotterdam rendezvoused with the Zaandam on March 26 off the coast of Panama City to provide support and evacuate healthy passengers. Both transited the Panama canal, and have reached an agreement to dock in Florida.
MS Zaandam and Rotterdam's numbers are currently not counted in any national figures.
^Lau, Hien; Khosrawipour, Veria; Kocbach, Piotr; Mikolajczyk, Agata; Ichii, Hirohito; Schubert, Justyna; Bania, Jacek; Khosrawipour, Tanja (March 2020). "Internationally lost COVID-19 cases". Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection. doi:10.1016/j.jmii.2020.03.013. PMID32205091.The total number of cases may not necessarily add up due to the frequency of values updating for each individual location.
^Ting, Inga; Workman, Michael; Doman, Mark; Scott, Nathanael (2 April 2020). "Charting the COVID-19 spread". ABC News. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
^ abNilsen, Av Sondre; Skjetne, Oda Leraan; Sfrintzeris, Yasmin; Røset, Hanna Haug; Hunshamar, Carina; Fraser, Sofie; Løkkevik, Ole; breaking-avdeling, og VGs. "Live: Corona-viruset sprer seg i Norge og verden". VG Nett.
The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic spread to many countries around the world, with the most affected countries being the United States, Italy, Spain, China, France, Iran, and South Korea. National response measures have been varied, and have included containment measures such as lockdowns, quarantines, and curfews. This is a dynamic list of different responses by various nations across the world. Read more...
Images
Scanning electron microscope image of the virus emerging from the surface of cells
This images reveals ultra-structural morphology exhibited by the virus
Electron microscope image shows the virus isolated in a patient emerging from the surface of cells (pink)
Illustration of SARS-CoV-2 virus in the blood stream
The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic has had far-reaching consequences beyond the spread of the disease and efforts to quarantine it. As the pandemic has spread around the globe, concerns have shifted from supply-side manufacturing issues to decreased business in the services sector.
Supply shortages are expected to affect a number of sectors due to panic buying, increased usage of goods to fight the pandemic, and disruption to factories and logistics in mainland China. There have been widespread reports of supply shortages of pharmaceuticals, with many areas seeing panic buying and consequent shortages of food and other essential grocery items. The technology industry, in particular, has been warning about delays to shipments of electronic goods. Read more...
Medium exposure risk jobs include those that require frequent or close contact with people who are not known or suspected with COVID-19, but may be infected due to ongoing community transmission or international travel. This includes workers who have contact with the general public such as in schools, high-population-density work environments, and some high-volume retail settings. Hazard controls for this group, in addition to basic infection prevention measures, include ventilation using high-efficiency air filters, sneeze guards, and having personal protective equipment available in case a person with COVID-19 is encountered.
OSHA considers healthcare and mortuary workers exposed to known or suspected person with COVID-19 to be at high exposure risk, which increases to very high exposure risk if workers perform aerosol-generating procedures on, or collect or handle specimens from, known or suspected person with COVID-19. Hazard controls appropriate for these workers include engineering controls such as negative pressure ventilation rooms, and personal protective equipment appropriate to the job task. Read more...
Testing
Laboratory testing for the respiratory coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the associated SARS-CoV-2 virus includes methods that detect the presence of virus and those that detect antibodies produced in response to infection. Detection of antibodies (serology) can be used both for clinical purposes and population surveillance. Antibody tests allow us to find out how many people have had the disease, including those whose symptoms were so minor that they were shrugged off. In this way we can find the true mortality rate of the disease as well as how much herd immunity has been built up in society.
Due to limited testing, as of March 2020 no countries had reliable data on the prevalence of the virus in their population. This variability also affects reported case-fatality rates. Read more...
As of 3 April 2020, there are 713 articles within the scope of WikiProject COVID-19. Including non-article pages, such as talk pages, redirects, categories, project pages, etcetera, there are 3,014 pages in the project.