COVID-19 Information and Prevention

Novel Coronavirus COVID-19
 

Information about COVID-19


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What is COVID-19?

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a virus in the coronavirus family. Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness, but the virus can affect different people in different ways. Some will become seriously ill and require medical care. People with underlying medical conditions are more likely to experience serious illness.

There are steps you can take to help reduce your risk of getting COVID-19 or other circulating respiratory illnesses, visit: Preventing Respiratory Infections

For current data and surveillance information on COVID-19 and influenza in Manitoba, visit: Respiratory Surveillance | Health | Province of Manitoba

For information on COVID-19 activity in Canada, visit: COVID-19: Canadian respiratory virus surveillance report-Canada.ca



What are COVID-19 Symptoms?

Symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to COVID-19, can vary in different age groups and depending on the COVID-19 variant. Some of the more commonly reported symptoms include:

  • Fever/chills
  • Runny nose
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Loss of taste or smell
  • Nausea or vomiting, diarrhea for more than 24 hours
  • Muscle aches
  • Fatigue
  • Headache
  • Poor feeding in an infant
 

While many people will develop only mild symptoms, some groups appear to be more vulnerable to COVID-19. Those at higher risk are more likely to develop more serious conditions such as pneumonia, acute respiratory failure and kidney failure, leading to hospitalization or even death.

Factors that may put you at higher risk of developing severe outcomes from COVID-19 include:

  • if you are not fully vaccinated or boosted,
  • your age - risk increases with age,
  • chronic medical conditions,
  • immunocompromising conditions, due to a medical condition or treatment,
  • obesity,
  • smoking, or
  • pregnancy.

Some populations are also at overall risk of severe outcomes, which may be related to where they live or work, such as in congregate or crowded settings, and how they access care. This includes people with disabilities, and people who are Indigenous or Black or other people of colour.

Guidance for when you have symptoms of a respiratory infection is available here: Province of Manitoba | Public Health Guidance for When You Have Symptoms of a Respiratory Infection.

Post COVID-19 condition (Long COVID)

Most people with COVID-19 get better within a few days to a few weeks after infection, but some people who have had COVID-19 can experience long-term effects from their infection, known as post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) or long COVID. People with PCC can have a wide range of symptoms, which may include general symptoms like fatigue, respiratory and heart symptoms, neurological symptoms, or digestive symptoms. More information and resources are available at Long COVID - Shared Health (sharedhealthmb.ca)

If you or the person you are caring for is experiencing long COVID, talk to your health care provider or call Health Links - Info Santé at 204-788-8200 in Winnipeg or toll-free 1-888-315-9257.




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