Viral diseases continue to present and emerge as a serious public health issue. In the last 20 years, several viral epidemics such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in 2002 to 2003, H1N1 influenza in 2009, and more recently Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in 2012 have been recorded.
In the present
timeline, the epidemic of cases with unexplained low respiratory infections
detected in Wuhan, the largest metropolitan area in China's Hubei province has
presented an international public health emergency. The aetiology of this
illness is attributed to a novel virus belonging to the coronavirus (CoV)
family, COVID-19. With rapid transmission, it has spread throughout the world.
Due to highly contagious nature and rapid spread, this viral disease has been
declared as a pandemic by ‘World Health Organisation (WHO).
Data provided by
the WHO Health Emergency Dashboard reported 87,137 confirmed cases worldwide
since the beginning of the epidemic. About 92% (79,968) of the confirmed cases
were recorded in China, where almost all the deaths were also recorded (2,873,
96.5%).
Outside China,
there are 7169 confirmed cases in 59 countries including Korea, Italy, Iran,
Japan, Singapore, France, US, Germany, Kuwait, Spain, Thailand, Bahrain,
Australia, Malaysia, United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Viet Nam, Norway,
Iraq, and India.
In India, the cases
have been surged and crossed the 100 mark. The positive cases have shot up to
114, as per a report published by Union Health Ministry, India.
This alarming
increase in infected cases presents an urgent need for people to be educated
and prepared for this outbreak. Below, you'll find answers to several questions
related to spread transmission, symptoms, prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
Here is what you
need to know:
What is Coronavirus?
Coronavirus is a
family of virus that causes illness ranging from the common cold to more severe
diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome and pneumonia. These viruses
were originally transmitted from animals to people. SARS, for instance, was
transmitted from civet cats to humans while MERS moved to humans from a type of
camel. The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is a new strain that had not been
previously identified in humans.
How does Coronavirus spread?
The novel
coronavirus is thought to spread mainly from human to human. It primarily
spreads when one person breathes in droplets that are produced when an infected
person coughs or sneezes. Also, any infected person, with or without symptoms,
could spread the virus by touching a contaminated surface. The coronavirus
could remain on that surface and someone else could touch it and then touch
their mouth, nose or eyes.
What are the common symptoms?
The symptoms of
COVID-19 varies from moderate to severe. It takes 2-14 days after exposure for
symptoms to develop. Common symptoms may include:
·
High fever
·
Cough
·
Shortness of breath
These symptoms may
become severe in patients with a weakened immune system. In severe conditions,
patients may likely to develop pneumonia and bronchitis. In some cases, the
condition may worsen leading to multi-organ failure and finally death.
Who is at highest risk for getting sick from COVID-19?
Older people,
especially those with underlying medical problems like chronic bronchitis,
emphysema, heart failure, or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious
illness. In addition, several underlying conditions may also increase the risk
of serious COVID-19 for individuals of any age. These conditions include:
·
Blood disorders
·
Chronic respiratory
disorders
·
Kidney and lung disease
·
Metabolic disorders such
as diabetes
·
Any condition that
weakens immune response (cancer, cancer treatment, organ or bone marrow
transplant, immunosuppressant medications, HIV or AIDS)
·
Neurological and
neurologic and neurodevelopment conditions
What type of treatment is available for the novel coronavirus?
There is currently
no vaccine or any specific treatment for COVID-19. However, supportive
treatments are helpful, if a person has developed symptoms. There is some
research evidence that certain medications can help prevent illness or treat
the symptoms of COVID-19. Researchers are performing various clinical trials
for finding potential drug-based therapy and vaccines for the treatment of
COVID-19. Various drugs under clinical trials are:
·
Remdesivir, a drug used
to treat Ebola
·
Chloroquine, a drug used
to treat malaria
·
Lopinavir and ritonavir,
drugs used to treat HIV infection
·
APN01, a protein for
treating respiratory infections
·
Favilavir, an antiviral
drug used to treat inflammation of the nose
It is a well known
saying that An ounce of prevention is better than pounds of cure. Some
preventive measures are helpful in avoiding the spread of COVID-19 infection.
These actions are as follow:
1. Avoid
close contact with people who are sick
2. Avoid
touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
3. Cover
your cough or sneeze with a tissue
4. Clean
and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household
cleaning spray or wipe
5. Wash
your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
6. Stay
home when you are sick
7. Use
an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, covering all
surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry.
8. Wear
a N95 mask to protect others and yourself from infection
9.
Avoid travelling if you
have a fever and respiratory symptoms
10. Strictly take the observation period of 14 days, and go to the
hospital for diagnosis and treatment if symptoms appear (fever, cough, etc.)
The
Bottom-line
Public health
emergencies, such as the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), are
stressful times for people and communities. It is important to remember that
people diagnosed with COVID-19 are recovering. Awareness about the disease and
the adoption of preventive measures can prevent the spread of disease. The
healthy people should be aware of the severity of COVID-19 and take measures to
protect themselves, such as staying at home, limiting social contacts, and
wearing a protective mask in public. Public authorities, health care
professionals and government officials should encourage people to stay at home;
discourage mass gathering; postpone or cancel public events, and close public
institutions. These control measures will help COVID-19 infected countries to
prevent the epidemic effectively.
After all, the
more we learn, the better we will respond.
coronavirus government advice
For more detail visit here : https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
coronavirus government advice
For more detail visit here : https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
