Coronaviruses are a common type of virus that infect humans, often resulting in respiratory illnesses. So far, seven different strains of human coronaviruses have been identified. Most individuals will contract at least one type of coronavirus during their lifetime. These viruses can spread through airborne droplets from coughing and sneezing, close personal contact, touching objects or surfaces contaminated with the virus, and, though rarely, through fecal contamination. In most cases, the illness caused by coronaviruses is short-lived and includes symptoms such as a runny nose, headache, fatigue, cough, and fever. Notable human coronaviruses that have been known to cause severe illness include MERS-CoV, which leads to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), SARS-CoV, responsible for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which originated in Wuhan, China.
