Chinese Coronavirus: How worried should we be?
A new Chinese coronavirus has infected more than 200 people in Wuhan, China, during the December-January period. According to Scientist Leo Poon, who first decoded the virus, this started in an animal, probably a fruit bat and spread to humans. This virus is identified as coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
From Australia to Nepal, nations are stepping up fever checks of passengers at airports to detect the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-like coronavirus.
Where Do Coronaviruses Come From?
Coronaviruses are commonly seen in camels and bats. Very rarely, these viruses evolve and infect humans. Eg: SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV.
What Symptoms should one look for?
Symptoms are those of a severe, acute, respiratory illness, similar to pneumonia
- Sneezing
- A runny nose
- Fatigue
- Cough
- Sometimes, fever
- Sore throat
- Exacerbated asthma
How does this Coronavirus spread
- Coughing and sneezing without covering the mouth
- Touching or shaking hands with a person who is infected
- Making contact with a surface or object that has the virus
- Coronavirus may spread through contact with feces
What to do to prevent disease transmission?
- Stay at home and rest while experiencing symptoms
- Avoid close contact with other people
- Covering the mouth and nose with a tissue or handkerchief while coughing or sneezing
- Dispose of any used tissues
- Maintain hygiene around the home
The following groups of people need to be more alert
- People with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, chronic lung disease, and heart conditions
- Older people
- Newborn babies
- Organ transplant recipients
- People whose immune system is weak, such as cancer patients undergoing treatment
Diagnosis
- A doctor will examine the patient and ask about symptoms and about recent activities, including travel
- Samples will be taken from a patient’s respiratory tract (RT) for assessment. RT-PCR test can confirm the presence of MERS Coronavirus
Why there exists so much of scare?
There is no drug available that can treat this infection. Even prevention is not possible as no vaccines are available. The only possible option is to opt for good self-care and take symptomatic treatment.
