About COVID-19
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by
a newly discovered coronavirus. Most people infected with the
COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory
illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Older
people, and those with underlying medical problems like
cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and
cancer are more likely to develop serious illness. The best way to
prevent and slow down transmission is be well informed about the
COVID-19 virus, the disease it causes and how it spreads. Protect
yourself and others from infection by washing your hands or using
an alcohol based rub frequently and not touching your face. The
COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or
discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes,
so it’s important that you also practice respiratory etiquette
(for example, by coughing into a flexed elbow). At this time,
there are no specific vaccines or treatments for COVID-19.
However, there are many ongoing clinical trials evaluating
potential treatments. WHO will continue to provide updated
information as soon as clinical findings become available.
