Coronavirus (COVID)

Human coronaviruses are the second most common cause of the common cold, and symptoms usually are mild to moderate. However, coronaviruses that infect animals sometimes change and become a new human coronavirus (as was the case with severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, in 2003). COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2 and was discovered in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. It is very contagious and has quickly spread around the world.

The symptoms most commonly reported with COVID-19 include fever, runny nose, dry cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and body aches; these are the same symptoms of the common flu virus.

For more information about coronavirus testing, click here. 

The links below provide more information on the 2019 coronavirus:

• Infection Disease Society of America resources
• Centers for Disease Control update
• World Health Organization update
• Coronavirus Resources 

UAB maintains an active and well-prepared infectious disease program, and our Emergency Management Committee has adopted isolation and treatment procedures, with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Our infectious disease specialists are equipped with the education, research, training, and experience to address both new and existing diseases.

We recommend general precautions, such as frequent handwashing and sneezing/coughing into your elbow, to prevent the spread of any virus, including seasonal flu, which is still active across Alabama and the United States.

Resources

• Make Your Own Mask Tutorial
• FAQ for COVID-19
• UAB Infectious Disease Experts Address Novel Coronavirus
• Infection Disease Society of America Resources
• Centers for Disease Control Update
• World Health Organization Update