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The World Health Organization declared Coronavirus (COVID19) a public health emergency that needed every country to be on alert. The disease that was discovered in Wuhan, a city in Hubei province in China has left a toll of suffering and death in most countries. The high number of deaths and how the disease is quick to spread prompted WHO to declare it a global pandemic on 11th March.
As of today (8th March), the number of deaths due to COVID19 is 82,101. The number of confirmed cases in over 209 countries is 1,431,973.
As COVID-19 spreads, there has been misinformation spreading, but here is what you need to know about the virus.
What is COVID19
COVID19 is a viral infection that is highly transmittable. The disease is caused by SARS-CoV-2, which is severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. According to Genomic Analysis, SARS-CoV-2 could be related to a group of bat viruses which is similar to the severe acute respiratory syndrome. Because of this, the disease is considered to have originated from bats.
The analysis has disputed the myth that scientists in a lab, made the virus before it escaped from a lab in Wuhan.
Signs and Symptoms of Coronavirus
With the virus spreading so fast, the Centre for Disease Control has laid out the signs and symptoms of the virus. They include:
- Fever
- Shortness of Breath
- Coughing
- Sneezing
The symptom may appear between two and 14 days after exposure. The Journal of the American Medical Association has reported that the majority of those infected had a fever and dry cough while a small number experienced exhaustion as a symptom of the disease.
Pneumonia is a serious symptom of the disease, according to the CDC, which causes patients to experience severe coughing and difficulty breathing. Doctors have also added that loss of smell could also be a symptom of the disease.
Most of those infected are older people with underlying ailments, but a recent study has shown that even children can contract the disease and possibly die from it. There was even a case of a newborn who got infected with a virus.
Marc Lipsitch, an epidemiologist at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, says coronavirus could infect up to 70% of the population, in the next year. The report has created fears among people, with many wondering how the virus spreads.
How Coronavirus Spreads
Coronavirus spreads through contact. When a person with the virus touches a surface, they leave traces of the virus that can stay for hours. You will contract the virus if you touch the surface then proceed to touch your face without washing hands with water or using a hand sanitizer.
The disease is also spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes in the air. If you are within a 6 feet radius of the infected person, the respiratory particles will land on you, and you will contract the virus. The good news is that the virus is not airborne, so if you are not near the infected person, the virus will die.
Coronavirus can spread through feces if a person touches a surface with stool from an infected person. However, the evidence in support of the virus transmission through feces is limited.
According to a recent study in China, coronavirus, unlike other viruses, can persist in the body even after a person has recovered. However, the healed person is not contagious, according to a Temple University’s College of Public Health epidemiologist, Krys Johnson.
Going to the hospital because of mild symptoms is not advisable, according to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s director of the emergency preparedness research, evaluation and practice program Paul Biddinger. Testing is only limited to patients with severe symptoms.
Those seeking treatment for their mild system, risk contracting the virus at the hospital or even contracting other illnesses. According to the CDC, the discretion of who should be tested for the virus is under the health departments. However, if you think you have the virus and you have recently traveled or come in contact with a person exposed to the virus, you should call a doctor first before visiting a health facility.
You should isolate yourself before calling for help to avoid exposing those around you to the virus.
Measures Against Coronavirus
With the increasing cases of the virus, you need to ensure that you and your family are protected. Some of the ways you can keep yourself safe include:
- Regular washing of hands with warm water for at least 20 seconds and ensure you also use soap. When washing, you should focus on the areas between your fingers and nails. Also, ensure the water is clean and running. When washing hands, ensure you clean the faucet well before closing it.
A hand sanitizer can be used instead of water and soap, just ensure it is alcohol-based.
- Maintain a social distance. Ensure you keep a distance of one meter between you and the next person, especially if they are coughing or sneezing. This is to prevent the respiratory droplets from landing on you or breathing them.
- Don’t touch your face. Your hands can pick the virus from anywhere, and you may transfer the virus to yourself through the nose, eyes, or mouth.
- Cover your mouth with tissue or cloth when coughing or sneezing then dispose of the cloth. If you don’t have a tissue, you can cough or sneeze on a bent elbow. This is to protect those around you from inhaling the respiratory droplets.
- You should self-isolate and seek medical help if you are experiencing signs of the virus. However, you should call your doctor first before going to the hospital, especially if the symptoms are not severe. Your doctor will advise you on what to do first because they have an up to date information about the virus in your area. Also, avoiding the hospital will help protect others and also prevent the virus from spreading.
Coronavirus is a serious transmittable disease; that everyone needs to keep safe from. The virus has spread in over 209 countries and has left a trail of deaths and suffering. You need to observe all the measures provided to be on the safe side.
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