A newly identified coronavirus now known as COVID-19 was first recognized in Wuhan, China, in early December 2019 and is rapidly spreading throughout the world.
Bernard Camins, MD, MSc, Medical Director for Infection Prevention for the Mount Sinai Health System, offers some basic guidelines for understanding this latest health concern. You can also get up-to-date information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Who is most at risk?
According to the CDC, those at the most risk include: people in places where ongoing community spread has been reported and people who have had close contact with those who have COVID-19. In addition, people who recently traveled to an area where cases of COVID-19 are occurring are most at risk, and they should consult their doctor or the CDC for the latest information. The CDC maintains a list of countries with significant COVID-19 cases.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms have included mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. The symptoms usually begin within two to three days of exposure but could take as long as 14 days to develop. These symptoms are also typical of the flu and other seasonal viral illnesses, and if you have symptoms like these and you have not traveled to an area with COVID-19 cases or been in close contact with someone who has, you probably have a seasonal illness and not the novel coronavirus.
What if I recently traveled to an area with COVID-19 cases and now have symptoms of a respiratory illness and/or fever?
If you feel sick with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing within 14 days after you return to the United States, you should seek urgent medical care. However, before going to your doctor’s office, an urgent care center, or an emergency room, call ahead and alert the staff about your recent travel and symptoms.
Avoid contact with others. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to avoid spreading the virus to others. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. As soon as you arrive at the medical facility, let a staff member know about your symptoms and travel history. You should be provided with a mask and moved to an area away from other patients.
How is coronavirus spread?
There are many types of human coronaviruses, including those that cause the common cold. They typically spread from an infected person through the air in tiny droplets produced when coughing or sneezing. These droplets, when they come into contact with another person’s mucous membranes (e.g., mouth, nose, or eyes), can lead to infection. The virus can also be transmitted if you touch a person, an object, or a surface on which the virus has settled and then touch your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands.
How can I protect myself?
As with other respiratory viruses, you can protect yourself from infection through frequent, proper hand hygiene, either with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or with soap and water. Also, practice proper respiratory hygiene by covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
How is Mount Sinai prepared to treat infectious diseases?
For a long time, Mount Sinai has been developing procedures to make sure that people arriving for care at our facilities are quickly screened for infectious diseases. This includes questioning people about whether they have traveled abroad in the last three weeks or come into contact with people who are traveling abroad. Our procedures enable us to quickly isolate any possible cases of infectious disease.
Bernard Camins, MD, MSc, is Medical Director for Infection Prevention for the Mount Sinai Health System.