Ever Catch A Cold? You May Have Had A Coronavirus

MILWAUKEE, WI — This cold and flu season, when you go to the doctor with symptoms of a cold or the flu, chances are you will be asked screening questions to determine if you have contracted the novel coronavirus.

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, coronaviruses are part of a large family of viruses that cause illnesses both in humans and animals. The new virus reported out of Wuhan, China, is officially referred to as "2019 novel coronavirus" or "2019-nCoV" and poses serious health risks for humans. As of Jan. 28, five people in Wisconsin are undergoing testing for the novel coronavirus, and six students from UW-Platteville were monitored at O'Hare International Airport after traveling to the U.S. from China.

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6 Wisconsin Students Screened For Coronavirus

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When a doctor screens a patient for the novel coronavirus, the term "novel" means "new" and distinguishes it from seasonal strains. "Coronavirus isn’t rare. In fact, seasonal coronavirus activity typically increases in Wisconsin this time of year, along with influenza and other respiratory viruses. Attention is heightened in this outbreak because it is a novel, or new, form of the virus," health officials in Wisconsin said this week.

According to the CDC, these are the strains of coronavirus to look for (or to avoid):

Common

Health officials say strains of the virus named 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1, usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold. Symptoms may include:

• runny nose
• headache
• cough
• sore throat
• fever
• a general feeling of being unwell

Severe Symptoms

These two strains, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, known as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, present severe symptoms that cause hospitalizations and health complications.

Novel Coronavirus

According to the CDC, those suffering from an infection of the novel coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, reported illnesses have ranged from infected people with little to no symptoms to people being severely ill and dying.

Here are seven things to know about the coronavirus and staying healthy:

1. Stay home if you're sick. Symptoms of coronavirus include mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, according to the Center for Disease Control. A side note from school districts? Keep your sick children home from school.
2. Wash your hands. It is not yet known how the novel coronavirus (meaning new strain of coronavirus) spreads. However, medical professionals suggest covering your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough and washing your hands for at least 20 seconds, using alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water aren't available.
3. Is there a vaccine for coronavirus? There is no vaccine to protect against the novel coronavirus infection and no specific antiviral treatment as of this report. People infected with the novel coronavirus should first call your doctor and mention you may be at risk to have contracted the virus. A medical professional can help relieve symptoms of the illness.
4. Where did it come from? Coronavirus is a new virus that can circulate among animals, including camels, cats, and bats, according to the Center for Disease Control. Still, there is no reason to think that animals or pets may be a source of coronavirus infection in the United States.
5. How easy is it to catch coronavirus? According to the Center for Disease Control, the risk of being infected by coronavirus is "low" from casual contact. That means, if you are in the same grocery store or a movie theater with an infected person, there is "minimal risk" of getting the infection, yourself.
6. How is coronavirus transmitted? Coronavirus is transmitted by close contact. If you are living with, visiting, or sharing a waiting room with someone with a novel coronavirus case, or have been coughed on without wearing protective equipment, you face a risk of infection.
7. What should I do If I think I'm sick? If you have fever AND symptoms of a cough or shortness of breath within two weeks of contact with a person who has been to Wuhan City, China, or has been in close contact with a sick person thought to have coronavirus, call your doctor.