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What should I do if I suspect I have COVID-19?
If you suspect you or someone close to you has contracted the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID19) there are steps you can take to determine what to do.
NOTE: If you are experiencing symptoms or have come into close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 take this self assessment tool to determine how to seek further care. If you are experiencing difficulty breathing or have other extreme symptoms call 911.
What is a Coronavirus?
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more serious respiratory infections like bronchitis, pneumonia, or severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
Coronaviruses are mainly spread from person to person through contact, like in the workplace, household, or health care centre.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of COVID-19 include:
- difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
- dry cough
- fever
- sore throat
- headache
- diarrhea
The incubation period is 14 days and in some cases it may take the full 14 days for the symptoms to show. To monitor the symptoms check out the
How to Self-Monitor factsheet from Public Health Ontario.
Where can I get the information?
The Ministry of Health has created multi-language information sheets that you can reference to get the most up-to-date information on how to protect yourself and what to do if you think you have the virus.
The information sheets are available in the following languages on the Ontario.ca website:
For More Information
Last updated:
April 10, 2020
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