What the Coronavirus Does to the Body

Here’s what experts know about how the new virus hijacks cells and damages organs like our lungs.

By Alex Orlando
Mar 20, 2020 7:35 PMNov 3, 2020 5:04 PM
Coronavirus on a dark blue background with purple effect
(Credit: Andrii Vodolazhskyi/Shutterstock)

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As the novel coronavirus infection known as COVID-19 continues to spread across the world — the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. crossed 15,000 on Friday — governments have made incredible efforts to limit the pandemic’s overall reach.  

Yet there is also much uncertainty, and a fair amount of unscientific speculation, about the virus and its effects on people’s bodies. And some of COVID-19’s reported symptoms, like fever, cough and shortness of breath, overlap with those of everyday illnesses like strep throat, flu and the common cold.

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