Covid-19 Information

Frequently Asked Questions

What is COVID-19?  

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a novel strain of coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. It was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. It  spreads by contact through droplets of infected individuals 

What are the main symptoms of COVID-19?  

Symptoms reported in patients with COVID-19 include mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, dry cough, fatigue.

In more severe cases, the infection can cause chest pain, difficulty in breathing, very high temperature (>38◦C), confusion and loss of appetite. Symptoms might be similar to common cold symptoms.

Other symptoms include: Sore throat, loss of sense of smell and taste, headache, muscle and joint pains, diarrhea, nausea vomiting and others.

Some patients are asymptomatic.

What are the complications of COVID-19?

About 80% of cases recover without needing hospital treatment. About 20% become seriously ill and require oxygen, with 5% becoming critical and needing intensive care.

Complications may include respiratory failure, sepsis and septic shock, thromboembolism, multiorgan failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, mood disorders, and death.

Who is most at risk of complications?  

Anyone can get sick with COVID-19 and become seriously ill or die at any age.

However, people with underlying illnesses, such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cancer and heart disease, and those 60 years and above are more at risk of a severe form of the illness. 

How does the virus spread?

The virus spread through direct contact, person to person with respiratory droplets of an infected person through coughing and sneezing and touching contaminated surfaces

What is the treatment for COVID-19? 

There is currently no single effective cure for COVID-19 available, many drugs are under research and some have been approved to be used in some cases

Is there a vaccine against the novel coronavirus?

Currently there are no available vaccines that protect against COVID-19. There are currently several ongoing clinical trials on vaccines

How do we prevent COVID-19?

Public health measures are everyday preventive actions that include:

• regular washing of hands with soap and water or using sanitizer

• using face mask in public

• maintaining physical distance of at least 2 meters apart

• cleaning frequently touched surfaces and objects

• avoid touching your face, eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands

• avoid close contact with people who are sick

• staying home when sick

• covering mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing. Dispose of used tissue immediately

• refrain from smoking and other activities that weaken the lungs.

• practice physical distancing by avoiding unnecessary travel and staying away from large groups of people

As we learn more about COVID-19, public health officials may recommend additional actions.

What is the difference between isolation and quarantine?

Both isolation and quarantine are methods of preventing the spread of the disease.

Quarantine means restricting activities and/or separating people who are not ill but may have been exposed to COVID-19. The quarantine can take place in a designated facility or at home for 14 days

Isolation means separating people who are ill with symptoms of COVID-19 and/or have tested positive

If I am asymptomatic do I still need to isolate?

If you are asymptomatic but you have a positive COVID-19 test  it means that you can still be contagious and spread it to others.