The incubation period lasts up to 14 days, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. But some researchers say it may be up to 24 days.
Knowing and understanding the incubation period is very important. It allows doctors and health authorities to introduce more effective ways to control the spread of the virus.
2. If you recover from coronavirus are you immune? RubyRed on Twitter.
Well, it is too soon to tell. This virus has only been around since the end of December, but from experience with other viruses and coronaviruses you should have antibodies to the virus which will protect you.
With Sars and other coronaviruses we tended not to see reinfection. Now there are some reports from China of people who are released from hospital subsequently testing positive but we're not sure about those tests.
However, the key thing was those people were no longer infectious.
3. What are the differences between coronavirus and flu? - Brent Starr, Gresham, Oregon, US
Coronavirus and flu share many similar symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose without a test.
The main coronavirus symptoms to look out for are fever and a cough. Flu often has other symptoms too, such as a sore throat, while people with coronavirus may feel short of breath.
In Scotland, check NHS inform, then ring your GP in office hours, or 111 out-of-hours. In Wales call NHS 111, and in Northern Ireland, call your GP.
4. What does self-isolation involve? - Alan Gell, Cheshire
Self-isolation means staying at home for 14 days, not going to work, school or other public places, and avoiding public transport or taxis. You should also stay separate from other people in your home.
Ask for help if you need groceries, other shopping or medication dropped off - you can have doorstep deliveries, but you shouldn't have any visitors.
You should even try to stay away from your pets - if that isn't possible, wash your hands before and after touching them.
5. How dangerous is coronavirus for people with asthma? - Lesley-Anne, Falkirk, UK
Respiratory infections, such as coronavirus, can trigger the symptoms of asthma.
Asthma UK advises those who are concerned about the virus to follow a series of steps to manage their asthma.
These include taking a preventer inhaler daily as prescribed. This helps cut the risk of an asthma attack being triggered by any respiratory virus, including coronavirus.
6. If schools are closed will there be financial help available for parents? - Richard, Eastleigh
7. Can coronavirus be transmitted by door handles and how long does it survive? - Jean Jimenez, Panama
If someone infected with the virus coughs on to their hand and then touches something, that surface may become contaminated.
Door handles are a good example of a surface that might pose a risk.
Experts think that coronavirus can survive on surfaces, possibly for days. So it is best to wash your hands regularly to help reduce the risk of infection and spread of the virus.
8. Is it safe to swim in a public pool? - Annette, Chester
The water in most swimming pools contains chlorine, a chemical which can kill viruses. So it should be safe to use a swimming pool as long as it is properly chlorinated.
However, you could still catch the virus from an infected person in a changing-room or building if they contaminate surfaces, such as door handles.
And someone with the virus could also spread it to others through coughs and sneezes if they come into close contact.
9. Should I start wearing a mask to limit my chance of spreading or contracting the virus? - Ann Hardman, Radcliffe, Manchester
Although doctors and surgeons often wear face masks, there is little evidence that wearing face masks by the public makes a difference.
Public Health England has said it does not "recommend the use of face masks as a means of protection from coronavirus". It says there is very little evidence of widespread benefit from their use outside of clinical settings,
Experts say good hygiene - such as regularly washing your hands and certainly before touching your face - is vastly more effective.
10. What is the risk to children? - Louise, London
This may be because they are able to shake off the infection or have either no symptoms, or only very mild ones similar to a cold.
However, children with underlying lung problems, such as asthma, may have to be more careful, as the virus could trigger an attack.
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For most children, though, it will be a respiratory infection like any other and no cause for alarm.
The UK government would have the power to close schools to prevent the spread of the virus, if it wanted. Schools in 14 countries have already been shut, while another 13 have closed some schools.
11. Can you catch the virus from food prepared by an infected individual? - Sean McIntyre, Brisbane, Australia
Someone infected with coronavirus could potentially pass it on to someone else if the food they prepare has not been handled hygienically.
Coronavirus can be spread by cough droplets on hands.
Washing your hands before touching and eating food is good advice for anyone, to stop the spread of germs.
Coronavirus: The fake health advice you should ignore
Coronavirus is emerging in more countries around the world and there's currently no known cure. Unfortunately that hasn't stopped a slew of health advice, ranging from useless but relatively harmless, to downright dangerous.
We've been looking at some of the most widespread claims being shared online, and what the science really says.
1. Garlic
Lots of posts that recommend eating garlic to prevent infection are being shared on Facebook.
The WHO (World Health Organization) says that while it is "a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial properties", there's no evidence that eating garlic can protect people from the new coronavirus.
In lots of cases, these kinds of remedies aren't harmful in themselves, as long as they aren't preventing you from following evidence-based medical advice. But they have the potential to be.
The South China Morning Post reported a story of a woman who had to receive hospital treatment for a severely inflamed throat after consuming 1.5kg of raw garlic.
We know, in general, that eating fruit and vegetables and drinking water can be good for staying healthy. However, there is no evidence specific foods will help fight this particular virus.
2. 'Miracle minerals'
YouTuber Jordan Sather, who has many thousands of followers across different platforms, has been claiming that a "miracle mineral supplement", called MMS, can "wipe out" coronavirus.
It contains chlorine dioxide - a bleaching agent.
Sather and others promoted the substance even before the coronavirus outbreak, and in January he tweeted that, "not only is chlorine dioxide (aka MMS) an effective cancer cell killer, it can wipe out coronavirus too".
The FDA says it "is not aware of any research showing that these products are safe or effective for treating any illness". It warns that drinking them can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and symptoms of severe dehyrdation.
As reports of the shortages emerged in Italy, so did recipes for home-made gel on social media.
But these recipes, alleged dupes for one of the country's most popular brands, were for a disinfectant better suited for cleaning surfaces and, as scientists pointed out, not suitable for use on skin.
Alcohol-based hand gels usually also contain emollients, which make them gentler on skin, on top of their 60-70% alcohol content.
Professor Sally Bloomfield, at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, says she does not believe you could make an effective product for sanitising hands at home - even vodka only contains 40% alcohol.
For cleaning surfaces, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says most common household disinfectants should be effective.
4. Drinkable silver
The use of colloidal silver was promoted on US televangelist Jim Bakker's show. Colloidal silver is tiny particles of the metal suspended in liquid. A guest on the show claimed the solution kills some strains of coronavirus within 12 hours (while admitting it hadn't yet been tested on Covid-19).
The idea that it could be an effective treatment for coronavirus has been widely shared on Facebook, particularly by "medical freedom" groups which are deeply suspicious of mainstream medical advice.
Proponents of colloidal silver claim it can treat all kinds of health conditions, act as an antiseptic, and state it helps the immune system. But there's clear advice from the US health authorities that there's no evidence this type of silver is effective for any health condition. More importantly, it could cause serious side effects including kidney damage, seizures and argyria - a condition that makes your skin turn blue.
They say that, unlike iron or zinc, silver is not a metal that has any function in the human body.
Some of those promoting the substance for general health on social media have found their posts now generate a pop-up warning from Facebook's fact-checking service.
5. Drinking water every 15 minutes
One post, copied and pasted by multiple Facebook accounts, quotes a "Japanese doctor" who recommends drinking water every 15 minutes to flush out any virus that might have entered the mouth. A version in Arabic has been shared more than 250,000 times.
Professor Bloomfield says there is absolutely no evidence this will help.
Airborne viruses enter the body via the respiratory tract when you breathe in. Some of them might go into your mouth, but even constantly drinking water isn't going to prevent you from catching the virus.
Nonetheless, drinking water and staying hydrated is generally good medical advice.
6. Heat and avoiding ice cream
There are lots of variations of the advice suggesting heat kills the virus, from recommending drinking hot water to taking hot baths, or using hairdryers.
One post, copied and pasted by dozens of social media users in different countries - and falsely attributed to Unicef - claims that drinking hot water and exposure to the sun will kill the virus, and says ice cream is to be avoided.
We would like to inform our audiences that the news below attributed to UNICEF is fake. UNICEF Cambodia is NOT the author of this post. Stay informed by following UNICEF official platforms.
Charlotte Gornitzka, who works for Unicef on coronavirus misinformation, says: "A recent erroneous online message...purporting to be a Unicef communication appears to indicate that avoiding ice cream and other cold foods can help prevent the onset of the disease. This is, of course, wholly untrue."
We know the flu virus doesn't survive well outside the body during the summer, but we don't yet know how heat impacts the new coronavirus.
Trying to heat your body or expose yourself to the sun - presumably to make it inhospitable to the virus - is completely ineffective, according to Prof Bloomfield. Once the virus is in your body, there's no way of killing it - your body just has to fight it off.
Outside the body, "to actively kill the virus you need temperatures of around 60 degrees", says Professor Bloomfield - far hotter than any bath or sauna.
Washing bed linen or towels at 60 degrees is a good idea, as this can kill any viruses in the fabric. But it's not a good option for washing your skin.
And having a hot bath or drinking hot liquids won't change your actual body temperature, which remains stable unless you are already ill
