It starts with a fever. That's the most common symptom among people who get the coronavirus that's sweeping the world. Here's how symptoms typically progress among patients
Date Published
31 March 2020
Last updated
31 March 2020
Day 1 - 4
Patients run a fever. They may also experience fatigue, muscle pain, and a dry cough. A small minority may have had diarrhea or nausea one or two days before.
Day 5 - 6
Patients may have difficulty breathing, especially if they are older or have a preexisting health condition.
Day 7
This is how long it takes, on average, before patients are admitted to a hospital, the Wuhan University study found
Day 8 - 10
At this point, patients with severe cases develop acute respiratory distress syndrome, an illness that occurs when fluid builds up the lungs. ARDS is often fatal.
Day 10 - 16
If patients have worsening symptoms, this is the time in the disease's progression when they're most likely to be admitted to the ICU. These patients probably have more abdominal pain and appetite loss than patients with milder cases. Only a small fraction die: The fatality rate has hovered at about 3%.
Day 17 - 22
On average, people who recover from the virus are discharged from the hospital after 2 1/2 weeks