COVID-19 is the disease caused by the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.
COVID-19 variants are continuing to emerge. The World Health Organization (WHO) is responsible for tracking variants of concern and interest.
Learn more about variants of concern in Australia.
Current status
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) a worldwide pandemic on 11 March 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic declaration is still active.
Learn more about the pandemic and how we are managing it.
Symptoms
COVID-19 is a disease caused by the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The symptoms of COVID-19 can range from mild to severe.
Some people recover easily while others get very sick. If you test positive for COVID-19 you can experience:
- fever
- coughing
- sore throat
- shortness of breath.
For more information, see our fact sheet on identifying the symptoms of COVID-19.
Some people do not experience any symptoms (are asymptomatic) but can still pass on the virus.
Long term effects
Most people who test positive for COVID-19 recover completely, but some people may develop Long COVID.
The symptoms of Long COVID differ from that of COVID-19. You can experience:
- extreme fatigue (tiredness)
- shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest pain or tightness
- problems with memory and concentration
- changes to taste and smell
- joint and muscle pain.
Sometimes these symptoms can last weeks or months.
Learn more about Long COVID.