Preparing for Coronavirus (COVID-19)

What is coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause respiratory illness in humans. They get their name, “corona,” from the many crown-like spikes on the surface of the virus. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and the common cold are examples of coronaviruses that cause illness in humans.

An outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus, called COVID-19 (formerly 2019-nCoV), was recently reported in Wuhan, China. Travelers from that area of the world have since carried the virus to other countries including the United States.