This document discusses coronaviruses, COVID-19, and compares COVID-19 to influenza. It states that coronaviruses can cause illness in animals and humans, and that COVID-19 is a new coronavirus that emerged in Wuhan, China in late 2019 and has since spread globally. It outlines similarities between COVID-19 and influenza such as common symptoms, transmission through droplets, treatment by addressing symptoms, and prevention through hand washing and social distancing. It also notes key differences such as COVID-19's longer incubation period and lack of a current vaccine.

1. Coronavirus
and COVID-19

2. ● Coronaviruses are a large family of
viruses which may cause illness in
animals or humans.
● In humans, several coronaviruses are
known to cause respiratory infections
ranging from the common cold to
more severe diseases such as Middle
East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)
and Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS).
● The most recently discovered
coronavirus causes coronavirus
disease COVID-19.
What is a Coronavirus?

3. • COVID-19 is the infectious disease
caused by the most recently discovered
coronavirus.
• This new virus and disease were
unknown before the outbreak began in
Wuhan, China, in December 2019.
Although it is constantly changing, as of
early March 9, 2020:
● 111,228 confirmed cases of COVID-19;
● 3,892 confirmed deaths from COVID-19;
● 62,369 confirmed recovered patients.
What is COVID-19?
Image via Mayo Clinic

4. COVID-19 vs Influenza: Similarities
Symptoms:
• Fever
• Body aches
• Fatigue
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Sometimes vomiting and
diarrhea
• Can be mild or severe
• Can be fatal in rare cases

5. COVID-19 vs Influenza: Similarities
Transmission:
• Can be spread from person to person
through droplets in the air from an
infected person coughing, sneezing or
talking.
• COVID-19 might be spread through
airborne routes (see Differences
slide).
• Like the flu, it is possible COVID-19 can
be spread by an infected person for
several days before symptoms appear
— but we don’t yet know for sure.

6. COVID-19 vs Influenza: Similarities
Treatment:
• Neither virus is treatable with
antibiotics, which only work on
bacterial infections.
• Both are treated by addressing
symptoms, such as reducing
fever.
• Severe cases may require
hospitalization and support
such as mechanical ventilation.

7. COVID-19 vs Influenza: Similarities
Prevention:
● Frequent, thorough hand washing
● Covering your nose when sneezing,
and coughing into the crook of your
elbow
● Staying home when sick
● Limiting contact with people who are
infected or have reason to believe
they might have come into contact
with anyone who is.

8. COVID-19 vs Influenza: Differences
Cause:
COVID-19: Caused by one virus, the novel 2019 coronavirus,
now called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or
SARS-CoV-2.
Flu: Caused by any of several different types and strains of
influenza viruses.

9. COVID-19 vs Influenza: Differences
Transmission:
While the flu and COVID-19 may be transmitted in similar ways,
there is also one possible difference: COVID-19 might be spread
through the airborne route, meaning that tiny droplets
remaining in the air could cause disease in others even after
the ill person is no longer near.

10. COVID-19: Incubation
Incubation:
The incubation period for COVID-19 (i.e. the time between exposure to the virus and onset
of symptoms) is currently estimated at between two and 14 days.

11. COVID-19 Life
Life Cycle:
JHI: COVID-19 can persist on inanimate surfaces like metal, glass or plastic for up to 9 days,
but can be efficiently inactivated by surface disinfection procedures with 62–71% ethanol,
0.5% hydrogen peroxide or 0.1% sodium hypochlorite within 1 minute,

12. COVID-19 vs Influenza: Differences
Antiviral Medications:
COVID-19: Antiviral medications are currently being tested to
see if they can address symptoms.
Flu: Antiviral medications can address symptoms and
sometimes shorten the duration of the illness.

13. COVID-19 vs Influenza: Differences
Vaccine:
COVID-19: No vaccine is available at this time, though it is in
progress.
Flu: A vaccine is available and effective to prevent some of the
most dangerous types or to reduce the severity of the flu.

14. COVID-19 vs Influenza: Differences
● The COVID-19 situation is changing
rapidly.
● Since this disease is caused by a
new virus, people do not have
immunity to it, and a vaccine may
be many months away.
● Doctors and scientists are working
on estimating the mortality rate of
COVID-19, but at present, it is
thought to be higher than that of
most strains of the flu.

15. COVID-19 Animals
● Health authorities in Hong Kong have
confirmed that a dog belonging to a
person who had contracted the
coronavirus had also tested a 'weak
positive' for the virus.
● It is the first reported case of human-
to-animal transmission of the virus..