The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are
Other symptoms that are less common and may affect some patients include:
Symptoms of severe COVID‐19 disease include:
Other less common symptoms are:
People of all ages who experience fever and/or cough associated with difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, or loss of speech or movement should seek medical care immediately. If possible, call your health care provider, hotline or health facility first, so you can be directed to the right clinic.
If you have any symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, call your health care provider or COVID-19 hotline for instructions and find out when and where to get a test, stay at home for 14 days away from others and monitor your health.
If you have shortness of breath or pain or pressure in the chest, seek medical attention at a health facility immediately. Call your health care provider or hotline in advance for direction to the right health facility.
If you live in an area with malaria or dengue fever, seek medical care if you have a fever.
If local guidance recommends visiting a medical centre for testing, assessment or isolation, wear a medical mask while travelling to and from the facility and during medical care. Also keep at least a 1-metre distance from other people and avoid touching surfaces with your hands. This applies to adults and children.
People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, and then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets.
Older people, and people of all ages with pre-existing medical conditions (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, or cancer) appear to develop serious illness more often than others.
Yes. Infected people in all age groups – including adolescents – can transmit the virus to other people, even if they have mild symptoms or do not feel ill.
The virus is spread from person to person through liquid particles such as aerosols (smaller) and droplets (larger) from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs, sneezes or speaks. People can catch COVID-19 if they breathe in these droplets from an adolescent infected with the virus. Therefore, it is important to stay at least 1 meter away from others. These droplets can land on objects and surfaces. People can then become infected by touching these objects or surfaces, and then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
