In this regard, can COVID-19 be fatal?
For most people, COVID-19 infection will cause mild illness however, it can make some people very ill and, in some people, it can be fatal.
Older people, and those with pre-existing medical conditions (such as cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease or diabetes) are at risk for severe disease
Who is at a higher risk to get infected with COVID-19?
What are the coronavirus disease symptoms?
Is headache a symptom of the coronavirus disease?
The risk of catching the COVID-19 virus from the faeces of an infected person appears to be low.
There is some evidence that the COVID-19 virus may lead to intestinal infection and be present in faeces. Approximately 2−10% of cases of confirmed COVID-19 disease presented with diarrhoea (2−4), and two studies detected COVID-19 viral RNA fragments in the faecal matter of COVID-19 patients (5,6).
However, to date only one study has cultured the COVID-19 virus from a single stool specimen (7). There have been no reports of faecal−oral transmission of the COVID-19 virus.
If you are severely ill with COVID-19 or suffer from other complications that prevent you from caring for your infant or continuing direct breastfeeding, express milk to safely provide breastmilk to your infant.
If you are too unwell to breastfeed or express breastmilk, you should explore the possibility of relactation (restarting breastfeeding after a gap), wet nursing (another woman breastfeeding or caring for your child), or using donor human milk.
There is no evidence that drinking lots of water flushes out the new coronavirus or the
stomach acid kills the virus. However, for good health in general, it is recommended that
people should have adequate water every day for good health and to prevent dehydration.
WHO advises that all confirmed cases, even mild cases, should be isolated in health facilities, to prevent transmission and provide adequate care.
But we recognize that many countries have already exceeded their capacity to care for mild cases in dedicated health facilities. In that situation, countries should prioritize older patients and those with underlying conditions.
Smoking is already known to be a risk-factor for many other respiratory infections, including colds, influenza, pneumonia and tuberculosis. The effects of smoking on the respiratory system makes it more likely that smokers contract these diseases, which could be more severe.
Smoking is also associated with increased development of acute respiratory distress syndrome, a key complication for severe cases of COVID-19, among people with severe respiratory infections.
Consuming alcohol will not destroy the virus, and its consumption is likely to increase the health risks if a person becomes infected with the virus.
Alcohol (at a concentration of at least 60% by volume) works as a disinfectant on your skin, but it has no such effect within your system when ingested.