Coronavirus: Don't worry if you have a cold or cough

Florian Tiefenböck studied human medicine at the LMU Munich. In March 2014, he joined as a student and has supported the editorial team with medical articles ever since. After receiving his medical license and practical work in internal medicine at the University Hospital Augsburg, he has been a permanent member of the team since December 2019 and, among other things, ensures the medical quality of the tools.

More posts by Florian Tiefenböck All content is checked by medical journalists.

If someone coughs, the question of a coronavirus infection often arises at the moment. According to one expert, there is no undue cause for concern at first.

(ft / dpa) - The novel corona virus continues to spread in Germany. Scratching the throat, coughing or fever lead many to the anxious question: Am I sick with Sars-CoV-2? Because according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), an infection with the virus can cause symptoms such as coughing, runny nose, sore throat and fever.

Covid-19 is usually mild

But even if the novel coronavirus is behind it, there is no reason for undue concern. "The likelihood that there will be severe courses with such symptoms is very small," reassured Oliver Witzke, Director of the Infectious Disease Clinic at Essen University Medical Center.

It is different if you can no longer breathe. “There is no question that you seek medical care,” Witzke continues. According to the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), the majority of the reported Covid 19 cases were mild.

What to do if there are signs of illness?

In around 15 out of 100 people infected, however, the disease is severe, and in isolated cases fatal. If an infection is suspected, the following applies: Anyone who has had contact with infected people should report to their health department regardless of the occurrence of symptoms.

The same applies to travelers from risk areas where symptoms occur.

Contact person: Health Department

The responsible health department and current risk areas can be found on the homepage of the Robert Koch Institute. All others turn to the office or family doctor if they have suspicious symptoms. Important: Those affected should definitely call them before going to the practice.

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