Unit 22 Vocabulary: Coronavirus COVID-19

Noun (thing)
Common cold
a normally harmless viral infection of the nose, throat, and upper respiratory tract
The common cold spreads through droplets in the air when someone who is sick coughs, sneezes or talks.
Verb (infinitive)
Contract an illness
to formally catch or acquire a sickness
It is possible, but not likely, to contract an illness while visiting a sick relative in the hospital.
Noun (thing)
Coronavirus
any one of a family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe pneumonia
You should avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of Coronavirus.
Noun (thing)
Covid-19
the name given to the 2019 novel coronavirus
Current evidence on COVID-19 suggests that children are not especially at risk from severe illness.
Noun (thing)
Cure
relieve symptoms of a disease or illness
There is no cure for the common cold because there are so many types and they mutate rapidly.
Verb (infinitive)
First manifested
first appeared
COVID-19 first manifested in Wuhan, China in December 2019.
Noun (thing)
Flulike symptoms
patients presenting with sneezing, fever, runny nose, etc
Flulike symptoms include fever, runny nose, sore throat, chills, and body aches.
Adjective
Ill
suffering from sickness or feeling unwell
The woman got ill from eating sushi at a dubious restaurant in Arizona.
Noun (thing)
Immune system
bodily resistance to infection and toxins
Organs such as the thymus, bone marrow, and lymph nodes make up the immune system.
Noun (thing)
Incubation period
the period from exposure to showing symptoms of an illness
In early 2020 the median incubation period of COVID-19 was thought to be 5 days.
Adjective
Infected
under the influence of a disease-causing entity
The man's flesh wound got infected by the time he was home from the camping trip.
Proper noun (thing)
MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome)
a viral respiratory illness first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012
Since September 2012, there have been more than 850 MERS deaths recorded around the world.
Noun (thing)
Mortality rate
a measurement of the number of deaths per unit of time
Given enough time, the mortality rate in humans is 100%.
Verb (infinitive)
Need be concerned about
worrisome, or troubling
Lung cancer is definitely something tobacco smokers need be concerned about.
Verb (infinitive)
Play a role in
to have an active part in something
Weather and social conditions can both play a role in the spreading of a virus.
Noun (thing)
SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)
a viral respiratory disease of zoonotic origin which first occurred in 2002 in China and killed over 750 people
Chinese scientists traced the SARS virus to cave-dwelling horseshoe bats in Southern China.
Verb (infinitive)
Sneeze
a sudden and involuntary expulsion of air and saliva, from the nose and mouth, accompanied by a loud and sometimes startling sound
A sneeze is often caused by irritation of the nostrils brought about by particles of dust, pollen, or animal dander.
Noun (thing)
Sore throat
pain or irritation of the pharynx which worsens while swallowing
The first sign of a cold is often a sore throat which can last a few days.
Adverb
Subsequently
occuring after, something else.
Many widely-accepted medical practices have subsequently been found to be useless or even dangerous.
Noun (thing)
Treatment
medical actions with the express intent of improving a medical condition, or symptom
If a hospital is completely full then non-essential treatment can be delayed for hours or even days.