Page 220 - fourth year book

COVID-19

spread through untreated sewage. Also unknown is whether other
body fluids, such as urine, vomit, breast milk or semen, could be ways

the virus might spread.

Risk factors for COVID 19

All age groups can catch COVID-19 but several groups of people have
the highest risk of developing complications due to COVID-19. These

groups include:

1. People aged 65 years or older
2. Women who are pregnant

3. Persons with pre-existing medical conditions, like high blood
pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer or diabetes,
appear to develop serious illness more often than others.

As this is a new virus, we are still learning about how it affects children
and adolescents. Evidence to date suggests that children and adolescents

are less likely to get severe disease, but severe cases and death can still
happen in these age groups.

Symptoms of COVID-19:

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough,

and tiredness. Other symptoms that are less common and may affect
some patients include aches and pains, nasal congestion, headache,

conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste (ageusia) or smell
(hyposmia) or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These

symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become
infected but only have very mild symptoms.

Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing
hospital treatment. Around 1 out of every 5 people who gets COVID-19

becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing.

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