There are several different types of coronaviruses. Some people give you the common cold. The new coronavirus that is behind the pandemic of 2019-2020 triggers a disease called COVID-19.
How Does Coronavirus Attack Your Body?
A virus gets your body infected by entering healthy cells. The new coronavirus latches its spiky surface proteins to receptors on healthy cells , especially those in your lungs. Specifically, the viral proteins bust into cells via ACE2 receptors. The coronavirus hijacks healthy cells once inside, and takes control. Eventually it kills some of the healthy cells. COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, begins with droplets from the cough, sneeze or breath of an infected person. They might be in the air or on a surface you touch before you touch your eyes , nose or mouth.
That gives the virus a passage to the mucous membranes in your throat. Within 2 to 14 days, your immune system may respond with symptoms including:
Fever,A cough,Shortness of breath,Trouble breathing,Fatigue,Chills, sometimes with shaking,Body aches,Headache,A sore throat,Loss of taste,Loss of smell,Nausea,Diarrhea
The virus moves down your airway. That's the airway that includes your mouth , nose, throat , and lungs. The lower airways have more receptors for ACE2 than the rest of the respiratory tract. But COVID-19 is more likely to go deeper than viruses like the common cold. Your lungs may get inflamed, making breathing difficult for you. This can lead to pneumonia, an inflammation of the tiny air sacs within your lungs (called alveoli), where the blood mixes oxygen and carbon dioxide. Doctor scans your chest with a CT scan, they will probably see shadows or patchy areas called "ground-glass opacity."
The symptoms stop for most people with a cough and a fever. More than eight in ten cases are moderate. But the infection is getting more serious for others. They have shortness of breath (called dyspnea) about 5 to 8 days after symptoms begin. A few days later, acute respiratory distress syndrome ( ARDS) starts up.
ARDS can cause fast respiration, rapid heart rate, dizziness and sweating. It hurts the alveoli's tissues and blood vessels, allowing debris to pile up inside. This makes you breathe faster, or even impossible.
Many people who get ARDS need a machine called a ventilator to help them breathe. They carry less oxygen to your blood, as fluid collects in your lungs. That means that your blood may not deliver enough oxygen to your organs to survive. This can cause the shutdown and stoppage of the kidneys , lungs and liver. Not everyone who has COVID-19 has such severe complications. And not everyone needs to get medical attention. But, if the signs include breathing problems, get treatment immediately.