Coronavirus has been declared as a global emergency by WHO and has affected 11,952 people till now.
Coronavirus was a word unknown to us before it spread like fire around the world. The virus originated from the Chinese city of Wuhan which is home to 11.08 million people. The city resembles a huge prison for the people living there as many countries have banned travel for the people living in Wuhan.
What is coronavirus?
As stated by the World Health Organization (WHO), coronaviruses can be described as a family of viruses causing diseases of illnesses ranging from cold, cough to more serious ones including Severely Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Coronavirus is a type of virus spreading from animals into humans like SARS and MERS which were transmitted from cats and camels respectively. The virus is rapidly transmitting from humans to humans. The word corona means crown or halo which is named due to the virus’s corona type appearance under the microscope.
How did the coronavirus started?
Novel coronavirus also known as 2019-nCoV may have started in bats or other animals. According to a study published on January 29, 2020, there are clues that bats are the most likely hosts to coronavirus. During this study, 10 samples (patients) were tested and all genomes (set of chromosomes in a gamete or microorganism) were similar. The study says that the patients shared more than 99.98% of the same genetic sequence. This reveals that the virus jumped recently from animals into humans, as if the virus would have transmitted earlier, the virus sequence would have differed.
The study amazingly reveals that all the initial cases of corona virus were those who worked or visited the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, China, where different wild animals were sold.
What are the symptoms of Coronavirus?
According to research, the signs of infection include:
- Cough
- Flu
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Shortness of breath and difficulty in breathing
Long term symptoms include:
- Pneumonia
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome
- Kidney failure
- Loss of life.
The incubation period of the coronavirus, according to some sources, can be 10 – 14 days.
Countries affected by the Coronavirus
Till date 27 countries have diagnosed cases of coronavirus enlisting:
China, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Australia, Taiwan, Malaysia, United States, Germany, Macao, France, Vietnam, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Italy, United Kingdom, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Philippines, Nepal, India, Finland and Spain.
Is Coronavirus contagious?
Yes, the corona virus is contagious and according to WHO’s report, on average, every case of Novel Corona virus can create 3 to 4 new cases.
Conditions and age of Coronavirus patients
According to a study, 71% of the cases diagnosed were males. The average age of the patients who were diagnosed with corona virus is 45 years however there are cases with ages ranging from 2 years to 74 years. Older people or people with existing medical condition can be more vulnerable to the corona virus.
Prevention of Coronavirus
Coronavirus can be prevented by some regular practices because currently there are no vaccines to prevent the 2019-nCoV. People need to save themselves from exposure to the virus. To prevent yourself from catching the coronavirus, you need to practice the following preventive measures:
- Washing your hands more often, especially after touching a surface, with water and soap for at least 20 seconds. If water and soap is not available, you can use an alcohol based sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth without washing your hands, after you have touched a surface.
- Prefer staying at home when you are sick and avoid contact with people who are infected or may have a chance of being infected.
- Cover your mouth and nose while sneezing and wash your hands immediately.
- Sanitize objects that may have been touched by an infected person.
- If you develop symptoms like cough, flu, or fever, stay at home and rest.
- Drink plenty of liquids if you feel mildly sick or happen to be in contact with an infected person.
Wear a disposable mask or gloves when you touch or have contact with an infected person’s body fluid’s or secretions.
Treatment of Coronavirus
If you think you are exposed to coronavirus 2019-nCoV infection, get immediate help from a healthcare provider. There is no specified treatment for the virus, you can relieve the symptoms by taking more rest, or taking a steamy shower. One should drink plenty of fluids. It is not suggested to give aspirin to children or teens younger than 19; use ibuprofen or acetaminophen instead.
