Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

While coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread globally, overall mortality seems to match that of pandemic flu and the SARS-CoV-2 virus appears to require close contact for human-to-human transmission. In the largest case series to date of COVID-19 in mainland China (72,314 cases through February 11, 2020), the China CDC provided detailed epidemic curves and placed the current outbreak in the context of SARS and MERS-CoV patterns or illness and transmission.

Browse the JAMA Network COVID-19 collection below, including Q&A's with NIAID's Anthony Fauci, an interactive map of the outbreak courtesy of The Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and past publications on vaccine development, infection control, and public health preparedness.

• Featured
• The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in China—Summary of a China CDC Report Zunyou Wu, MD, PhD; Jennifer M. McGoogan, PhD

• Clinical Information
• Characteristics of Hospitalized Patients With 2019-nCoV Pneumonia in Wuhan, China 中文 (chinese) Wang D, Hu B, Hu C, et al.
• Characteristics of 2019-nCoV Infections in Beijing, China 中文 (chinese) Chang D, Lin M, Wei L, et al.
• Presumed Asymptomatic Carrier Transmission of COVID-19 Bai Y, Yao L, Wei T, et al.
• Positive RT-PCR Test Results in Patients Recovered From COVID-19 Lan L, Xu D, Ye G, et al.
• Novel Coronavirus Infection in Hospitalized Infants Under 1 Year of Age in China Wei M, Yuan J, Liu Y, Fu T, Yu X, Zhang Z
• COVID-19 in Singapore—Current Experience and Critical Issues That Require Action Wong JEL, Leo YS, Tan CC
• COVID-19—New Insights on a Rapidly Changing Epidemic del Rio C, Malani PN
• 2019 Novel Coronavirus—Important Information for Clinicians 中文 (chinese) del Rio C, Malani PN
• Preparing for the Most Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: The Potential Role of ECMO MacLaren G, Fisher D, Brodie D
• Coronavirus Infections—More Than Just the Common Cold 中文 (chinese) Paules CI, Marston HD, Fauci AS
• Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Influenza Livingston E, Bucher K, Rekito A
• Preparation for Possible Sustained Transmission of 2019 Novel Coronavirus: Lessons From Previous Epidemics Swerdlow DL, Finelli L
• US Emergency Legal Responses to Novel Coronavirus: Balancing Public Health and Civil Liberties Gostin LO, Hodge JG
• The Novel Coronavirus Originating in Wuhan, China: Challenges for Global Health Governance 中文 (chinese) Phelan AL, Katz R, Gostin LO
• Coronavirus Outbreak—an Evolving Global Health Emergency Stephenson, J
• Enhancing Private Sector Health System Preparedness for 21st-Century Health Threats: Foundational Principles From a National Academies Initiative Berwick DM, Shine K
• Novel Vaccine Technologies: Essential Components of an Adequate Response to Emerging Viral Diseases Graham BS, Mascola JR, Fauci AS
• N95 Respirators vs Medical Masks for Preventing Influenza Among Health Care Personnel: A Randomized Clinical Trial Radonovich LJ, Simberkoff MS, Bessesen MT, et al.
• Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Globalizing Risk, Localizing Threats Gostin, LO
• What Is a Pandemic? Grennan, D

• Multimedia
• February 13 Q&A with China CDC Chief Epidemiologist Zunyou Wu, MD, PhD
• COVID-19 Update from China: Interview with China CDC Chief Epidemiologist Zunyou Wu, MD, PhD
• February 6 Q&A with NIAID’s Dr. Anthony Fauci
• The 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak – Update From NIAID’s Anthony Fauci, MD
• January 27 Q&A with NIAID’s Dr. Anthony Fauci
• Interview with Anthony S. Fauci, MD, author of Coronavirus Infections—More Than Just the Common Cold

• Outbreak Map
• Map of the Coronavirus Outbreak

  The Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering has developed an online dashboard to visualize and track reported COVID-19 cases on a daily timescale; the complete set of data is downloadable as a google sheet.

  

• Scientific Resources: MERS-CoV and SARS
• Middle East Respiratory Syndrome: A Global Health Challenge
• CDC Updates Guidance to Detect Novel Coronavirus Infections
• Lessons Learned From SARS Outbreak Prompt Rapid Response to New Coronavirus
• SARS Thrusts Quarantine Into the Limelight
• Inhibition of SARS-Associated Coronavirus Infection and Replication by RNA Interference
• Patient Information (2003): Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

CDC Guidance

The CDC maintains website posting the latest information regarding infectious diseases. The following are links to selected webpages along with summaries of information that clinicians and patients need to know about COVID-19.

• How patients will present with coronavirus infection
• How to assess patients for risk factors for coronavirus infection
• What prevention methods should be employed
• How to treat coronavirus infection
• What to do when coming in close contact with a patient who has a coronavirus infection
• Recommendations regarding travel to areas where coronavirus is known to exist
• Interim guidance regarding how to evaluate patients

• Symptoms

  Like many flu viruses, SARS-CoV-2 virus causes an illness characterized by fever, cough and shortness of breath. Given that we are currently in the peak of flu season, many patients with present with these symptoms and most will not have SARS-CoV-2. However, if a patient has traveled from Wuhan, China the possibility of COVID-19 should be seriously considered. Physicians treating patients with upper respiratory flu symptoms who have either traveled to China or have been exposed to people suspected of having COVID-19 flu within the past 2 to 14 days should immediately contact the their local health officials or the CDC to receive advice for how to manage these patients. (Contact CDC-INFO) 800-CDC-INFO | (800-232-4636)

• Risk Assessment

  The greatest risk for becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2 is in people who have recently been in Wuhan, China. The US-based population is not considered to have a risk for developing COVID-19 unless they are healthcare workers who are providing care for patients known to be infected with this virus or other people who have come in close contact with patients who have the infection.

• Prevention and Treatment

  Prevention is the best approach. General preventative measures include hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, avoiding contact with people who are sick, staying at home when you are sick, covering your face when coughing or sneezing, throwing any used facial tissues in the trash and frequently disinfecting surfaces you may touch.

• Prevention Steps for Close Contacts

  If you come in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, watch for the signs and symptoms of the infection: fever, cough and shortness of breath. You may also experience chills, body aches, sore throat, headache, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, and a runny nose. If any of these develop, immediately call your health care provider or go to an emergency room and let the clinicians know about your risk of exposure and concern for having COVID-19 infection. Let the health care team know about your concerns by phone before presenting to them if possible. If you are seeing health care providers, the very first thing to do is to tell them about your concerns for having COVID-19 infection. If presenting to a health care provider is not possible, immediately contact the CDC (Contact CDC-INFO) 800-CDC-INFO | (800-232-4636) to obtain advice for what to do.

• Travel Health Notices

  CDC currently recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to China.

• Interim Guidance for Healthcare Professionals

  Health care providers should obtain a detailed travel history for patients being evaluated with fever and acute respiratory illness. Patients with lower respiratory infection symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath) who have traveled to Wuhan, China in the last 14 days or have been in close contact with someone being investigated for possible COVID-19 or was in close contact within 14 days with someone with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection should be classified as a Person Under Investigation (PUI). When a PUI has been identified, local infection control and health department officials should immediately be contacted to seek further guidance.

WHO Guidance

• Q&A on Coronaviruses

  What is a coronavirus, and how dangerous is it? Can I catch it from my pet? Frequently asked questions are answered here.

• Travel Advice

  Updated advice for international traffic

• Myth-busters

  Is it safe to handle packages from China? How can I protect myself? Common myths about virus transmission are debunked here.

• Situation Reports

  Daily updates on the spread of infection, with assessment of regional and global risk.

• Technical Guidance

  Patient management, surveillance and case definitions, infection control in health care facilities, and more.