Covid-19 – the official name for the Wuhan coronavirus, is a variant of the coronavirus family which is novel and completely new. It has a similar origin – like all other coronaviruses – from animals. It has been reported that many of those who were initially infected were either working the Huanan seafood wholesale market or frequented the place situated at the center of the Chinese city.
Pneumonia is the most likely disease that the virus can cause in humans because most of those who had been infected had reported of suffering from coughs, fever and breathing difficulties. Severe manifestation of the disease is organ failure. No antibiotics can be used for treatment because it is a viral pneumonia. Additionally, the antiviral medicines used to fight flue are also ineffective. Therefore, the recovery of a patient is completely and only dependent on the strength of the individual’s immune system. It has been found that many of the infected who died were already of poor health.
It has been advised that if one had recently traveled to an area affected by the outbreak, then one should go see a doctor immediately if one has a cough. Additionally, doctors have advised such people to stay indoors and not to come into contact with other people – unlike what one can do if infected with flu.
Human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed by China’s national health commission while such transmissions have been reported from elsewhere in the world also.
The total number of persons infected by the virus globally stood at more than 80,000 as of 25 February. 2,663 deaths have been reported out of 77,658 cases in mainland China – most of which have happened in the central Chinese province of Hubei. More than 12,000 people affected in China have already recovered.
Outside of China, the coronavirus has spread to at least other 30 countries. One of the worst affected countries other than China is Japan – with a total of more than 850 cases of infection – which includes 691 confirmed cases from a cruise ship docked in Yokohama./ four people have died in the country so far due to the virus.
229 infections and 7 deaths have been reported from Italy while 893 cases and eight deaths have been reported from South Korea. Death due to the coronavirus have also been reported from Hong Kong, Taiwan, France, Iran and the Philippines.
Experts, doctors and scientists have still not been able to evaluate the severity of the new coronavirus and more data in needed to make an assessment. The rate of mortality is about 2 per cent near and around the Hubei province the epicenter of the virus outbreak. Typically, the mortality rate for seasonal flu is lower than 1 per cent and more than 40,000 deaths are reportedly caused by the disease globally every year. In comparison, the 2003 SARS outbreak had a mortality rate of over 10 per cent.
Another key unknown is how contagious the coronavirus is. A crucial difference is that unlike flu, there is no vaccine for the new coronavirus, which means it is more difficult for vulnerable members of the population – elderly people or those with existing respiratory or immune problems – to protect themselves. Hand-washing and avoiding other people if you feel unwell are important. One sensible step is to get the flu vaccine, which will reduce the burden on health services if the outbreak turns into a wider epidemic.
The novel coronavirus has not yet been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) which terms defines the term as “the worldwide spread of a disease”. It has said that while it is worried about the spread of the viral infection outside of China, it is also not completely unexpected. Coronavirus has however been declared as a public health emergency of international concern by the WHO.
(Source:www.theguardian.com)
Pneumonia is the most likely disease that the virus can cause in humans because most of those who had been infected had reported of suffering from coughs, fever and breathing difficulties. Severe manifestation of the disease is organ failure. No antibiotics can be used for treatment because it is a viral pneumonia. Additionally, the antiviral medicines used to fight flue are also ineffective. Therefore, the recovery of a patient is completely and only dependent on the strength of the individual’s immune system. It has been found that many of the infected who died were already of poor health.
It has been advised that if one had recently traveled to an area affected by the outbreak, then one should go see a doctor immediately if one has a cough. Additionally, doctors have advised such people to stay indoors and not to come into contact with other people – unlike what one can do if infected with flu.
Human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed by China’s national health commission while such transmissions have been reported from elsewhere in the world also.
The total number of persons infected by the virus globally stood at more than 80,000 as of 25 February. 2,663 deaths have been reported out of 77,658 cases in mainland China – most of which have happened in the central Chinese province of Hubei. More than 12,000 people affected in China have already recovered.
Outside of China, the coronavirus has spread to at least other 30 countries. One of the worst affected countries other than China is Japan – with a total of more than 850 cases of infection – which includes 691 confirmed cases from a cruise ship docked in Yokohama./ four people have died in the country so far due to the virus.
229 infections and 7 deaths have been reported from Italy while 893 cases and eight deaths have been reported from South Korea. Death due to the coronavirus have also been reported from Hong Kong, Taiwan, France, Iran and the Philippines.
Experts, doctors and scientists have still not been able to evaluate the severity of the new coronavirus and more data in needed to make an assessment. The rate of mortality is about 2 per cent near and around the Hubei province the epicenter of the virus outbreak. Typically, the mortality rate for seasonal flu is lower than 1 per cent and more than 40,000 deaths are reportedly caused by the disease globally every year. In comparison, the 2003 SARS outbreak had a mortality rate of over 10 per cent.
Another key unknown is how contagious the coronavirus is. A crucial difference is that unlike flu, there is no vaccine for the new coronavirus, which means it is more difficult for vulnerable members of the population – elderly people or those with existing respiratory or immune problems – to protect themselves. Hand-washing and avoiding other people if you feel unwell are important. One sensible step is to get the flu vaccine, which will reduce the burden on health services if the outbreak turns into a wider epidemic.
The novel coronavirus has not yet been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) which terms defines the term as “the worldwide spread of a disease”. It has said that while it is worried about the spread of the viral infection outside of China, it is also not completely unexpected. Coronavirus has however been declared as a public health emergency of international concern by the WHO.
(Source:www.theguardian.com)
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