COVID-19 is a contagious viral infection that gets its name from a combination of words. The “Co” portion represents coronavirus, the “VI” portion comes from the word virus, and the “D” comes from the word disease.

COVID-19 is also known to some as the coronavirus. And while some people call it that, it’s not necessarily that simple since there are also other viruses in that same specification. MERS-COV and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) are also part of the coronavirus family. In addition, when we refer to COVID-19 as the “Novel Coronavirus”, novel just means that it’s a new virus that wasn’t previously known to scientists and doctors.

But what is COVID-19?

To know COVID-19, we must first dive into what the Coronavirus is. Coronavirus is classified as a common virus that may infect the sinuses, the upper throat, or the nose. They work similarly to colds and the majority of people are usually infected at least once in a lifetime.

The coronavirus umbrella can be further classified into alpha, beta, gamma, and delta. However, the most common ones that humans get are the 229E, NL63, OC43, HKU1. These are alphas and betas and considered human coronaviruses. But the types that have evolved from animals such as MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, and COVID-19 (also known as SARS-CoV-2) can be a bit more complicated to treat as it has less history to work off of for scientists to develop a vaccine.

Where did COVID-19 come from?

Bats and birds make great carriers for the coronavirus. It is widely unsubstantiated but COVID-19 may most likely come from a bat. COVID-19 is classified as Beta. Bats usually carry Alpha and Beta types while birds carry the gamma and delta types. COVID-19 is 70% genetically similar to the SARS-CoV and a 96% similarity to coronavirus in bats.

This isn’t something that developed in recent years either. There is an ongoing debate about the date of origin. Conservative scientists claim it existed since 8,000 BCE. Meanwhile, other scientists place it at 55 million years ago.

Most coronaviruses are not dangerous, but even if you do not have symptoms of Coronavirus, it is important to have yourself screened. Regular screenings are important for your overall health because they can help prevent serious illness or disease from developing in the future.

SPC Medical Center offers RT-PCR Swab tests and rapid tests that will help you determine whether you have the virus or not. Samples are taken with safety procedures in place and analyzed on a DOH-approved facility. Call us now at (049) 562-0726 to 8 and 0975 949 0236 to inquire. You can also visit our Covid Booking site at book.spcmcph.com to book your appointment.