Covid-19 and influenza, what's the difference?

Influenza or known as the flu and Covid-19 is a respiratory infection. Although the symptoms are almost the same, but this disease is caused by a different virus. Covid-19 which causes the current pandemic is caused by a new corona virus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 or SARS-CoV-2. While influenza is caused by several types or strains of influenza viruses. As of July 2020, more than 72 thousand people in Indonesia and more than 12 million people globally were infected by Covid-19. While the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that as many as 1 billion people worldwide are infected with influenza viruses every year.

Covid-19 and influenza cause symptoms such as fever, weakness, coughing, body aches, and sometimes diarrhea. The severity of the disease can vary from mild to severe, even in a small number of cases can cause death. Both of these diseases can cause lung infections, known as pneumonia. In severe covid-19, lung, heart, kidney, and brain damage can occur. While in influenza, in addition to the lungs and respiratory tract, can also cause inflammation of the heart known as myocarditis, inflammation of the brain or encephalitis, inflammation of the muscles or myositis. As of July 2020 there were more than 500 thousand deaths from diseases related to Covid-19 worldwide, while an estimated 290 thousand to 650 thousand people died from influenza-related diseases each year worldwide.

Both of these viruses spread from person to person through droplets that come out of infected people through talking, sneezing, and also coughing. But in Covid-19, in certain circumstances, for example in medical procedures such as nebulizers, can spread through airborne. Very small particles can stay floating and remain in the air that can infect even though people are the source of infections are a considerable distance away. Both of these viruses can spread through people who do not show symptoms (asymptomatic).

The situation caused by Covid-19 is changing rapidly. Because it is a new virus, people don't have immunity from it. Vaccines may be available in the next few months. Scientists to date have calculated the mortality rate from Covid-19, but it is estimated to be much higher than the infuenza virus.