Background
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). The novel (new) coronavirus named “SARS-CoV-2” was first detected in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in 2019 and thereafter, it has been detected in more than 100 locations internationally, including Cameroon. The virus causes the disease called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Transmission
Coronaviruses are transmitted between animals and people. Just like the SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV which was transmitted from civet cats and dromedary camels to humans respectively, the COVID-19 is known to be transmitted from animals to humans.
Signs and Symptoms
The signs and symptoms may appear after an incubation period of 2-14 days. There include respiratory symptoms, cough, fever, breathing difficulties and shortness of breath. Severe cases of the disease may lead to pneumonia and even death.