Spotting the difference between Coronavirus and Flu symptoms

The

and the

both hit your respiratory system, but doctors said they impact your body in different ways.

With

doctors say there are more upper respiratory issues. Flu symptoms include coughing, sneezing, sore throat, body aches and fatigue.

"2019-2020 so far has seen up to 15 million patients in the United States being diagnosed with the flu," said Dr. Laura Green.

Medical professionals said the Coronavirus will present respiratory issues in the chest that can cause shortness of breath and coughing.

Officials with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said an individual must be exposed to someone with the virus in order to be infected. Currently, only a handful of states in the U.S. have reported Coronavirus cases. Tennessee has not reported any Coronavirus cases.

A third illness, the stomach flu, has plagued many people across East Tennessee and been a contributing factor to

Doctors said the stomach flu and stomach bugs typically last only a day or two. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

"So this isn't to diminish the concerns with the Novel Coronavirus, but we are seeing a lot more flu here," explained Charity Menefee, Communicable Disease Director, Knox County Health Department, "We have no cases of Coronavirus in Tennessee right now. If you have not traveled to China where there are cases at this point or you have not had close contact with a case, there's only 11 in the United States right now, we're not overly concerned right here right now."

If you or anyone in your family is sick, doctors advise you to stay home in order to stop the spread of germs.

If you do get the flu and have already received a flu shot, the flu can be less severe than if you had not gotten the vaccine.

Doctors said a person can get the flu at any time but the illness is more likely to spread during the winter months because the colder temperatures cause people to be indoors and confined to smaller spaces with more people.