Fever and malaise are the main symptoms of novel coronavirus pneumonia, but not all fever and malaise are novel coronavirus pneumonia; testing for the virus, observation of characteristic intrapulmonary manifestations, and progression of the disease are also needed. Many other diseases can also cause fever and weakness. Fever is an inflammatory response, and the exertion of the inflammatory response on the body, including dehydration, energy expenditure due to rapid metabolism, and toxin accumulation, can trigger malaise. The presence of fever and malaise alone does not confirm the diagnosis of novel pneumonia. The most important thing to confirm the diagnosis is the nucleic acid test and the change of shadows in the lungs. Most patients are unable to determine on their own whether fever and malaise are symptoms of novel coronavirus infection and need to be promptly screened at a hospital and have the diagnosis confirmed by a healthcare provider. Content source: Dr. You Lai