Is it more dangerous than other viruses?Most cases of COVID-19 are not serious. However, it can cause symptoms that become severe, leading to DEATH in some cases.The outbreak of COVID-19 has been sudden. This makes it difficult to estimate how often the disease BECOMES severe or the exact rate of mortality.One report suggests that out of 1,099 people with confirmed cases in China, around 16% became severe. Another report estimates that about 3.6% of the confirmed cases in China led to death.These figures are likely to change as the situation evolves. However, they suggest that COVID-19 is more deadly than influenza. For example, seasonal influenza typically leads to death in less than 0.1% of cases.When TESTING becomes easier and more widespread, health experts will have a more accurate insight into the exact number of severe cases and deaths.SARS is another type of coronavirus. It became a global pandemic in 2002–2003. Around 9.6% of SARS cases led to death. However, COVID-19 is more contagious, and it is already the cause of more deaths worldwide.SymptomsCommon symptoms of COVID-19 include:a feverbreathlessnessa cougha sore throata headachemuscle painchillsnew loss of taste or smellThese symptoms are likely to occur 2–14 days after exposure to the virus.