SARS-CoV-2 or popularly known as coronavirus, originated in Wuhan, China. The virus appeared in December 2019 and ever since then, it managed to spread all over the world, causing more than 17.000 people to die. Although there is global panic, you can’t contract the coronavirus unless you’ve been in contact with someone that is infected.
Symptoms
Since the virus is pretty new, doctors are learning new things about it every day. You can carry the virus 2-14 days before you notice symptoms.
Main symptoms of the virus include:
- A cough that gets more severe over time
- Shortness of breath
- Fever that causes increased temperature
The symptoms can become more severe in some people. If you have trouble breathing, persistent pressure in the chest, excessive drowsiness or blue lips, contact your doctor immediately.
Coronavirus vs. The Flu
Doctors are still learning whether the cornavirus is more or less deadly than the flu. Early evidence shows that coronavirus causes more deaths than the flu. Around 0.06 o 0.1% of the people who got the flu in 2019-2020, died from it. On the other hand, 1.2% of people diagnosed with coronavirus, passed away from the virus.
Common symptoms of the flu are:
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Cough
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Fever
- Headache
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Body aches
What Causes Coronaviruses?
These viruses are zoonotic, which means that they first develop in animals, before developing in humans. This means that a humans gets infected when he comes into a close contact with an animal that carries the virus. Once a human gets infected, the virus easily spread from one person to another, though respiratory droplets. It isn’t confirmed what particular animal caused the virus to spread on humans. Researchers believe that has been passed from bats to another animal. Such as pangolins or snakes. The first transmission occurred in the open food market in Wuhan.
Who is at Increased Risk?
People that have been in contact with people carrying the coronavirus, especially if they’ve been exposed to their saliva, are at high risk.
Older people and people that have some health condition are also at higher risk. Some of these health condition include:
- Certain heart conditions
- Lung conditions, such as astma and COPD
- Cancer
- Severe obesity
- Immune system conditions, such as HIV
How is Coronavirus Diagnosed?
It can be diagnosed through saliva, blood or tissue sample. Doctors, mainly, use a cotton swab to retrieve a sample from the inside of the nostrils. Contact your doctor immediately if you notice any symptoms.
Available Treatments
There is no treatment and no cure for the virus currently. Scientists are working on finding a vaccine. The treatment for coronavirus focuses on managing the symptoms as the virus runs its course. Some of the therapies for the virus include: antiviral/ retroviral medications, steroids to reduce lung swelling, blood plasma transfusions and breathing support.
Possible Complications
The most serious complication is pneumonia, known as novel coronavrus-infected pneumonia or NCIP. About 4.3% of people diagnosed with coronavirus die from this type of pneumonia. Some of the patients infected have also developed:cardiovascular shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome, irregular heart rate, fatigue, severe muscle pain,heart damage and heart attack.
Prevention Tips
- Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water.
- Don’t touch your face with dirty hands
- Do not go out if you’re feeling sick
- Stay at least 4 feet away from people that are sneezing or coughing
- Clean the objects that you constantly touch