Coronavirus: These are what COVID-19 infected lungs look like

WASHINGTON D.C. -- A doctor at George Washington University Hospital wants everyone to know exactly how COVID-19 can damage your lungs.

He created a virtual rendering of lungs from an actual patient being treated for coronavirus at the hospital.

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He thinks it has a powerful message for the public.

"This patient is a gentleman in his late 50s, who initially had a fever and a non productive cough like many other people," said Dr. Keith Mortman, chief of thoracic surgery at George Washington Hospital.

"Respiratory symptoms progressed quite rapidly, to the point where he did need to be intubated and put on the ventilator," said Mortman.

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Patients with COVID-19 experience mild to severe respiratory illnesses.

The doctor said the image shows the areas being attacked by COVID-19.

"So what you're seeing in the video, essentially the blue part is the more normal lung, but anything you're seeing yellow is lung that's being destroyed by the virus," he said.

Mortman hopes rendering will serve as a warning.

"I really want them to be able to see this and to really understand the damage that's being done to the lungs. The severity of the disease that this is causing. So perhaps, maybe they think twice before having a house party or going outside to large groups."