• The spread of the disease occurs mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and other respiratory pathogens spread.
• Apart from being directly infected by the droplets, healthy person can also be infected when the
• virus settles on surfaces from where it can transfer to their hands and infect them when they touch their eyes, nose or mouth.
• Symptoms of the disease are a sore throat, slight fever, fatigue, headache, tiredness and a dry cough.
• Any person of any age can be infected by the disease, but older people are more likely to develop severe illnesses.
• The disease is more likely to be severe and even fatal for the following:
• Persons over the age of 80 (although it should be noted that the severity increase with age,

starting with those over the age of 60);

• Smokers;
• Persons with compromised immune systems (due to for instance HIV/AIDS and cancer); and
• Persons with comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease (10.5% mortality), diabetes (7.3%
• mortality), chronic respiratory disease (6.3% mortality) and hypertension (6% mortality).
• Healthy, fit individuals are more likely to develop only mild symptoms and to recover quickly.
• The virus is denatured by strong sunlight, soap and water, and most disinfectants.
• On surfaces, the virus can survive for up to 24 hours if left untouched and unsanitised, although
• there is some indication that the virus may remain active for up to 5 days on hard, shiny surfaces, fabrics and paper.

The transmission of the disease can be prevented by:

• Washing hands regularly with soap or using an appropriate hand sanitiser
• (Please note that ordinary soap works well enough as long as hands are washed for long

enough (more than 20 seconds), and that anti-bacterial hand wash soap is no more effective

against viral contamination. Washing hands properly and for long enough with soap and water is also more effective than using hand sanitiser.)

• Avoiding touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
• Coughing or sneezing into a flexed elbow or covering it with a tissue which is then
• immediately discarded.
• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.