Your lungs and airways swell and become inflamed. Mild and Moderate CasesĪs the infection travels your respiratory tract, your immune system fights back. They believe that the effects on your body are similar to those of two other coronavirus diseases, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). In some cases, the infection can reach all the way down into your alveoli.ĬOVID-19 is a new condition, and scientists are learning more every day about what it can do to your lungs. The lining can become irritated and inflamed.
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The new coronavirus can infect the upper or lower part of your respiratory tract. This is where oxygen goes into your blood and carbon dioxide comes out. At the end of each branch are tiny air sacs called alveoli. It splits into smaller and smaller branches in your lungs. Think of your respiratory tract as an upside-down tree. It multiplies, and the new viruses infect nearby cells. The virus enters a healthy cell and uses the cell to make new virus parts.
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When the virus gets in your body, it comes into contact with the mucous membranes that line your nose, mouth, and eyes. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is part of the coronavirus family. Here’s what the new coronavirus does to your lungs. Older adults and people who have other health conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes may have more serious symptoms. COVID-19 is a respiratory disease, one that especially reaches into your respiratory tract, which includes your lungs.ĬOVID-19 can cause a range of breathing problems, from mild to critical.