A persistent dry cough is not necessarily new coronavirus pneumonia; one of the more typical features of new coronavirus pneumonia is a dry cough. However, dry cough can be caused by a variety of reasons, such as the common cold or chronic pharyngitis. In the early stages of common cold, the symptoms are mainly foreign body sensation in the pharynx, dryness and itchiness, sometimes accompanied by pharyngeal pain. Some patients may have a runny nose and nasal congestion, and in severe cases, phlegm may be present. Patients with common cold are prone to sneezing and the symptoms are mild and can be cured in about 5-7 days. Patients with C.N.C.P. also have a dry cough, but tend to have a fever and a strong dry cough, while some patients experience worsening of symptoms in a short period of time, which can be clarified by chest CT and nucleic acid tests.