Can coronavirus spread through cough and sex? Here’s all you need to know

Whether you catch the infection or not depends on how close you get and how long you are near the person

Coronavirus is highly contagious and is spreading at a lightning speed around the world. The virus has already infected people in close to 70 countries. According to the World Health Organisation, there are 92,819 confirmed cases and 3,164 deaths reported globally. In India, total number of confirmed cases rose to six on Tuesday after an Italian tourist in Jaipur tested positive. So what is coronavirus and how can it be transmitted? Here is what you need to know:

What is coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. The present scare is because of COVID-19, an infectious diseases caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. The outbreak began in Wuhan in China in December, 2019. The virus can be transmitted between animals and people. Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

Will the coronavirus spread through cough?

People can catch the virus from others. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch the virus by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also fall victim to virus even if they breathe in droplets from a person infected who coughs out or exhales droplets. This is why it is important to stay more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from a person who is sick.