The key difference between coronavirus and COVID 19 is that coronavirus is a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from common cold and pneumonia to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) while COVID 19 is a coronavirus disease, which began in December 2019, caused by a novel coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Coronavirus is an ssRNA virus. It can cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, including the common cold. Moreover, it can also cause the severe acute respiratory syndrome. In 2019, a novel coronavirus began to spread from China to many other countries. This virus is known as SARS-CoV-2, and it causes COVID 19 or coronavirus disease 19. At the moment, COVID 19 is a deadly disease, and it has become a big global health problem.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Coronavirus
3. What is Covid 19
4. Similarities Between Coronavirus and Covid 19
5. Side by Side Comparison – Coronavirus vs Covid 19 in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What is Coronavirus?
Coronavirus is a large family of viruses. The name ‘corona’ was given to this virus family since they have crown-like projections on their surface. Coronaviruses are enveloped viruses having helical-shaped nucleocapsids. They cause illnesses ranging from common cold and pneumonia to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). These viruses infect the respiratory tract of mammals, including humans. People of all ages are susceptible to this virus. They can also affect the gut of mammals. The common symptoms of coronavirus infection are a runny nose, cough, sore throat, and possibly a headache.
Figure 01: Coronavirus
There are different types of coronavirus. According to records, there are six different types of human coronaviruses. Generally, coronavirus can be transmitted from animals to humans. When people have weakened immune systems, this virus spreads from person to person through droplets carrying the virus. Therefore, touching or shaking hands with an infected person, making contact with objects having the virus, etc. can cause the spread of the virus.
What is Covid 19?
COVID 19 or coronavirus disease 2019 is a virus disease currently prevailing and spreading in the world. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the infectious agent of this disease. It is a novel coronavirus. SARS-CoV-2 is genetically related to the coronavirus responsible for the SARS outbreak of 2003. But two viruses are different from each other. It began spreading among the people in December 2019. It was initially reported in the city of Wuhan, China. Then it was reported outside China, in Thailand and Japan.
Currently, COVID 19 is reported in many more countries all over the world. Hence, it is considered as a global problem now. According to the situation report 50 published on 10th March 2020 by World Health Organization (WHO), there are 113,702 infected persons around the world, and the number of total deaths from COVID 19 is 4012. The highest number of infected persons and deaths are reported from China.
Figure 02: SARS-CoV-2
After being exposed to the virus, people show symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath within 2 to 14 days. Adults are at higher risk of COVID 19. Moreover, people of all ages who are suffering from heart diseases, lung diseases and diabetes are susceptible to COVID 19.
COVID 19 spreads via two routes from person to person. It spreads through the droplets released to the air and between people who are in close contact with each other. We can get COVID 19 by touching the surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus and then touching our nose, mouth or eyes. Therefore, it is necessary to wash our hands with alcohol or soap frequently. We also need to wear masks properly covering the nose and mouth area.
What are the Similarities Between Coronavirus and Covid 19?
- COVID 19 is a disease caused by a coronavirus.
- Moreover, COVID 19 and coronavirus infections are mainly respiratory system diseases.
What is the Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19?
Coronavirus is a large family of viruses that causes illnesses ranging from mild to severe respiratory diseases. COVID 19 is a novel coronavirus disease first reported in December 2019 and an ongoing outbreak in the world. Coronavirus is a disease-causing agent while COVID 19 is a respiratory illness. So, this is the fundamental difference between coronavirus and COVID 19. Moreover, coronavirus causes mild to severe respiratory illnesses. But, COVID 19 can have potentially serious complications, such as troubled breathing and pneumonia.
Below tabulation summarizes the difference between coronavirus and COVID 19.
Summary – Coronavirus vs Covid 19
In summarizing the difference between coronavirus and COVID 19, coronaviruses are viruses that cause respiratory illnesses, including the common cold while COVID 19 is a coronavirus disease. SARS-CoV-2 is the infectious agent of COVID 19. COVID 19 can have potentially serious complications. Currently, it has become a major health threat in the world.
Reference:
1. “Naming the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and the Virus That Causes It.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, Available here.
2. Roser, Max, and Hannah Ritchie. “Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).” Our World in Data, 4 Mar. 2020, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “4893276” (CC0) via Pixabay
2. “Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2” By NIH Image Gallery (Public Domain) via Flickr