Infection with novel coronavirus may present with a dry cough, but usually without sputum. Patients may gradually develop dyspnea, wheezing, fever, and malaise, and some patients may have a mild onset without fever. If the patient has a co-infection with bacteria, or if the infection is acquired after admission to the hospital due to low resistance, an infection may develop in the lungs and sputum may gradually be produced on coughing. Although most patients may present with a dry cough early after novel coronavirus infection, if a few elderly patients have a combination of chronic diseases, such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, the absence of sputum may be masked because of their perennial cough. Therefore, different patients with novel coronavirus infection should be differentiated for symptomatic treatment.