Infectious Disease

COVID-19

COVID-19 is illness caused by SARS-CoV-2, ranging from a self-limiting respiratory infection to hypoxic pneumonia and multi-organ complications; management depends on severity, oxygen requirement, risk of progression, timing, comorbidity and current UK treatment pathways.

Definition

COVID-19 is the clinical illness caused by infection with SARS-CoV-2. It may be asymptomatic, mild and self-limiting, or complicated by viral pneumonia, hypoxic respiratory failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, thrombosis, organ injury and persistent post-COVID symptoms.

First principles

Symptoms do not identify the virus reliably

COVID-19 symptoms overlap with influenza and other respiratory infections. Fever, cough, fatigue, sore throat, myalgia, altered smell or taste, breathlessness and gastrointestinal symptoms may occur, but symptoms alone cannot reliably distinguish SARS-CoV-2 from other infections.

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