Advice and Helpful Tips

6.3 Coronavirus.

Covid-19 is a widely known and terror creating disease, in the present time which is caused by the infamous Coronavirus. Sources say that it was first reported in the Wuhan City of China in December 2019. But it's history goes back to 1960. Yes, Coronavirus was first discovered in the late 1960s but it wasn't widespread back then. The earliest ones discovered were an infectious bronchitis virus found in chickens and later found in two human patients with the common cold, which was later named as human coronavirus 229E and human coronavirus OC43. But throughout the years some more members of this family were discovered, such as- including SARS-CoV in 2003, HCoV NL63 in 2004, HKU1 in 2005, MERS-CoV in 2012, and SARS-CoV-2 formerly known as 2019-nCoV or the infamous coronavirus of 2019. Almost all of these have involved serious respiratory tract infections including the current Coronavirus.

SARS-CoV-2 or the virus causing Covid-19, has close genetic similarity to bat coronaviruses, from which it likely originated. An intermediate reservoir such as a pangolin is also thought to be involved in its introduction to humans.

Because the strain was first discovered in Wuhan, China, it has sometimes been referred to as the "Wuhan virus" or "Wuhan coronavirus", although the World Health Organization (WHO) discourages the use of names based upon locations. To avoid confusion with the disease SARS, the WHO sometimes refers to the virus as "the virus responsible for COVID-19" or "the COVID-19 virus" in public health communications.

The outbreak of the Covid-19 disease was recognised as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020. As of 17 March 2020, more than 198,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in over 160 countries and territories, with major outbreaks in mainland China, Europe, Iran, and South Korea. As for now, Europe has been declared the new center of the pandemic by World Health Organization (WHO) on March 13.

More than 7,900 people have died. The rate of deaths per number of diagnosed cases is on average 3.4%, ranging from 0.2% in those less than 20 to approximately 15% in those over 80 years old. Also, the statistics show that among the people who are dead, most were already suffering from some other diseases, like- cardiac diseases or lung diseases.

However, people have been recovered too. More than 82,000 people have been recovered till now.

As there wasn't any medicine for this disease until recently, so words are that it's treated using the flu treatment. But now a vaccine for it has been invented in the US which is going under human trials. Experts say it will still take many months to know if this vaccine, or others also in research, will work. This means there isn't any proper treatment of this disease, at least for now.

So the best thing one can do is to try to be safe from it, as the proverb goes "Prevention is better than cure", which is quite true in this case.

COVID-19 spreads from person to person in close proximity, similar to other respiratory illnesses. The virus is primarily spread between people similar to influenza, via respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing. Droplets of this bodily fluid (saliva and mucus) from an infected person are dispersed in the air or on surfaces by coughing or sneezing. These droplets can come into direct contact with other people or can infect those who pick them up by touching infected surfaces and then their faces.

So it's preventive measures goes as follows :

1. Keeping the current situation of the world in your head, social isolation is a must.

2. Distance should be maintained while talking to people or while walking on the roads and even in vehicles and shops.

3. Though it is being said that wearing masks does no good to the non-affected and that affected people should wear it so that they don't spread germs. But it's better for everyone to wear it since wearing a mask will save you from getting your hands in your face and mouth unconsciously.

4. While you are out, avoid touching things as much as possible.

5. Wash your hands with soap water after coming back from outside and even when at home as much as possible.

6. Keep a sanitizer with you and clean your hands with it when you are not at home.

7. Avoid public gatherings.

8. Drink water as much as you can and it's even better if you can drink warm water.

9. Gargle with salted warm water.

10. Avoid eating cold food or drinks for now.

11. Disinfect your house using disinfectant or by cleaning furniture and other stuff using antiseptics.

12. Use a tissue or handkerchief while sneezing and coughing and wash your hands afterward.

13. Refrain from getting your hands in your mouth or nose and even face.

14. If you show any of the symptoms of Covid-19, go to the nearest hospital which offers support for it and get yourself tested. And if you are tested positive then seek treatment from them. (Though it is a good idea to ring your doctor so you don't spread it to other patients.)

15. As soon as you start showing any signs of it, distance yourself from others. Start wearing a mask.

The symptoms of Covid-19 are as follows :

i) Common symptoms :

1. Fever
2. Dry Cough
3. Fatigue

ii) Uncommon symptoms :

1. Shortness of breath
2. Sputum Production
3. Muscle or joint pain
4. Headache
5. Chills
6. Nausea or vomiting
7. Nasal congestion
8. Diarrhea
9. Haemoptysis
10. Conjunctival congestion

iii) Symptoms when it is more severe :

1. High Fever
2. Coughing up blood
3. Decreased white blood cell
4. Kidney failure.

But don't be afraid if you have a cough or fever, because not all coughs and fever are Covid-19. However don't ignore it too, if you show any symptom make sure to wear a mask, distance yourself from others and of course to get yourself tested.

Stay clean, stay safe.