As of Tuesday afternoon, Idaho has eight cases of COVID-19.

The number of people who have been tested in Idaho is 353, as of Tuesday morning, and 76 had been monitored by Idaho public health agencies; 39 of those are no longer being monitored, according to the state website coronavirus.idaho.gov. There have been no recorded deaths due to COVID-19 in Idaho.

According to the World Health Organization, most people — around 80% — recover from the novel coronavirus without special treatment.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

The WHO says the most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness and dry cough. Some patients may also have:

Aches and painsNasal congestionRunny noseSore throatDiarrhea

“These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell,” the WHO website says.

Dr. Bruce Aylward of the World Health Organization told NPR that 90% of COVID-19 patients have a high fever as an early symptom and 70% have a dry cough.

“It’s not the sniffles,” he says. “It’s not a runny nose. That can be a symptom, but that’s rare.”

COVID-19 is generally mild, especially for children and young adults, according to WHO. Older people and those with underlying medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. More severe cases can lead to pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), kidney failure and death. Globally, as of Tuesday morning, there have been 179,112 confirmed cases and 7,426 deaths, according to WHO.

HOW LONG AM I CONTAGIOUS?

The CDC says symptoms can appear two to 14 days after exposure; most commonly symptoms are seen after five days, according to WHO. This recommendation is based on the incubation period of MERS-CoV, or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, which is another illness caused by a coronavirus.

It isn’t clear how long the SARS-CoV-2 virus — which causes the disease COVID-19 — can live on surfaces. WHO says it seems to behave like other coronaviruses, which may persist on surfaces for a few hour or up to several days. This can vary depending on the circumstances.

WHAT IS A CORONAVIRUS?

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses, which cause mild illnesses like the common cold and more severe diseases like MERS and SARS. Coronaviruses disease 2019, or COVID-19, is a disease caused by a new coronavirus not seen previously in humans, according to WHO.

HOW DO I KNOW IT’S NOT INFLUENZA, COMMON COLD OR ALLERGIES?

The common flu, or influenza, has caused 20,000 deaths this season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Influenza and COVID-19 both cause respiratory illness. Flu symptoms, which come on suddenly, include:

Sore throatCoughFeverMuscle achesHeadachesRunny or stuffy noseFatigueVomitingDiarrhea

Seasonal allergies or hay fever can worsen during certain parts of the year, like early spring, when tree pollen is usually in the air, and in late spring or summer, when grass pollen appears. Signs of allergies usually occur immediately after exposure. Common allergy symptoms are:

Runny nose/nasal congestionWatery, itchy, red eyesSneezingCoughItchy nose, throat, roof of mouthFatigue

People begin experiencing symptoms of a common cold one to three days after exposure, according to the Mayo Clinic. The illness usually takes about three to seven days to subside. Some signs of a common cold are:

Runny nose with water or thick yellow dischargeBody achesLow-grade fever, meaning a slightly elevated temperature between 98.7 and 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. (Normal is around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.)

CAN I GET A VACCINE?

Not yet. Right now, there is no vaccine or antiviral medicine to prevent or treat COVID-19, according to the World Health Organization, which is coordinating efforts to develop treatment methods.

“While some western, traditional or home remedies may provide comfort and alleviate symptoms of COVID-19, there is no evidence that current medicine can prevent or cure the disease. WHO does not recommend self-medication with any medicines, including antibiotics, as a prevention or cure for COVID-19,” the organization’s website says.

Taking antibiotics is not helpful in treating or preventing COVID-19; antibiotics only work on bacterial infections, not viruses.

The vaccine for influenza is not a treatment for COVID-19, but will provide the best defense for fighting the flu, which is still a bigger issue for most people, according to the Mayo Clinic.

SHOULD I GET TESTED?

If you have no symptoms and haven’t been exposed to COVID-19, you don’t have to get tested.

There is a limited amount of tests, so the CDC recommends health workers minimize unnecessary testing and look at exposure risks before ordering a test. Because COVID-19 shares some symptoms — but not all — with influenza and the common cold, a doctor will need to determine if you need a test or not. That determine is based on factors such as: Do you have a respiratory illness? Do you have symptoms and have traveled recently or come in contact with a person confirmed to have COVID-19?

Those who do have symptoms are urged not to show up at the doctor’s office but instead to call ahead to reduce exposure, unless it’s an emergency.

“Think of it this way: would you have sought ER care 5 months ago for the symptoms you are currently experiencing? If so, visit the ER,” according to Eastern Idaho Public Health.

QUARANTINE VS. SELF-ISOLATION

Quarantine and self-isolation are different. Quarantines are used when people have been exposed, but aren’t sick, like the passengers on several cruise ships with outbreaks. Self-isolating is recommended when someone is already sick, or is showing symptoms, in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to others.

HOW CAN I PROTECT MYSELF?

The prevailing advice from health officials is to practice good personal hygiene. This includes:

Regular hand washing and/or use of alcohol-based hand sanitizerCovering mouth and nose while coughing and sneezingAvoid touching your eyes, nose and mouthThoroughly cooking meat and eggsMaintain 3 feet of space between you and othersClean high-touch surfaces frequently