Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)||Coronavirus advisory information
What is Coronavirus?
Coronaviruses are of the family of Nidovirus. They are various types of viruses that affect the respiratory tract of mammals, including humans. Some of the symptoms associated with coronavirus are the common cold, pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and can also affect the gut.
Coronavirus can cause illness from the common cold to more severe diseases like Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). Some detailed investigations show that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans.
Six types of coronavirus are found that infect humans and many others that infect animals.
The coronavirus that causes disease in humans is found in two genera namely alphacoronaviruses (HCoV-229E, HCoV-NL63) and betacoronaviruses (HCoV-HKU1, HCoV-OC43, and the coronavirus associated with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)). In 2012, an additional novel betacoronavirus was identified that can cause human disease-Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
Common human coronaviruses types are 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1 that usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illness like a common cold.
What is Ebola Virus?
It is also said that the disease is linked to a large seafood and animal market that is animal-to-person spread. Some patients even had no exposure to the animal market, therefore it is suggested that some limited person-to-person spread may be occurring. Investigations are going on.
Symptoms of Coronavirus disease
- Headache
- Runny Nose
- Cough
- Sore Throat
- Fever
- A general feeling of human unwell.
- Sneezing
- A rare cases of Fever
- Exacerbated asthma
- Fatigue
Sometimes it also causes pneumonia, bronchitis. It is common in people who have a weak immune system, in infants, older adults, etc.
Encephalitis (Chamki Fever): Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV cause severe symptoms including fever, cough, and shortness of breathe which results in pneumonia. Severe cases may cause kidney failure and even death.
History of patients suffering from MERS-CoV
First Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) appeared in 2012 in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe. The first American case was hospitalised in April 2014 and another in Florida. Both returned from Saudi Arabia. In Korea, the MERS outbreak in May 2015 was the largest outbreak outside the Arabian Peninsula. MERS symptoms may include fever, breathlessness, and coughing.
About SARS-CoV
In 2003, people also died from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Let us tell you that in the 1960s, the first case of human coronavirus was identified but from where it came nobody knows. SARS is a life-threatening form of pneumonia. It can also cause gastroenteritis and can infect both the upper and lower respiratory tract.
Symptoms of SARS may include dry coughing, chills, diarrhoea, breathlessness and aches, severe lung infection and in the most advanced stages, SARS may cause the failure of the lungs, heart or liver.
From where coronavirus got its name?
Due to their crown-like projections on the surfaces coronaviruses got their name. The virus resembles like crown when viewed under an electron microscope. "Corona” in Latin means "halo" or "crown".
Treatment or how to prevent from an infection
- Regular hand washing
- During coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose.
- Properly cooked meat and eggs.
- Avoid contact from the person showing symptoms of respiratory illness.
- Therefore, we can say that there is no proper cure and treatments including taking care of yourself and over-the-counter (OTC) medication.
- Do proper rest and avoid overexertion.
- Drink enough water.
- Avoid smoking and smoky areas.
- Take medicine to reduce pain and fever.
- Use a clean humidifier or cool mist vaporiser.
How coronavirus disease spread?
- While coughing and sneezing, an infection spread into the air and spread the virus.
- While touching or shaking hands with an infected person can also pass the virus.
- Making in contact with a surface or object that has a virus and while touching nose, eyes or mouth.
- Rarely, coronavirus may spread through contact with feces.
WHO’s standard recommendations for the general public to reduce exposure to and transmission of a range of illnesses are as follows, which include hand and respiratory hygiene, and safe food practices:
- Frequently clean hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water;
- When coughing and sneezing cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue – throw tissue away immediately and wash hands;
- Avoid close contact with anyone who has fever and cough;
- If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing seek medical care early and share previous travel history with your health care provider;
- When visiting live markets in areas currently experiencing cases of novel coronavirus, avoid direct unprotected contact with live animals and surfaces in contact with animals;
- The consumption of raw or undercooked animal products should be avoided. Raw meat, milk or animal organs should be handled with care, to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked foods, as per good food safety practices.
Protect yourself and others from getting sick
