Everything You Should Know About the 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19)
In early 2020, a new kind of virus began generating headlines all over the world because of the unprecedented speed of its transmission.
From its origins in a food market in Wuhan, China in December 2019 to countries as far-flung as the United States and the Philippines, the virus (officially named COVID-19) has infected tens of thousands, with a rising death toll now over 2000.
But in spite of the global panic in the news about this virus, you’re unlikely to contract COVID-19 unless you’ve been in contact with someone who’s recently traveled to certain parts of China.
Doctors are learning new things about this virus every day. So far we know that COVID-19 may not initially cause any symptoms.
You may carry the virus for 2 days or up to 2 weeks before you notice symptoms.
Some common symptoms that have been specifically linked to the 2019 coronavirus include:
- feeling short of breath
- having a cough that gets more severe over time
- a low-grade fever that gradually increases in temperature
The full list of symptoms is still being investigated.
Coronaviruses are zoonotic. This means they first develop in animals before developing in humans.
For the virus to pass from animal to humans, a person has to come into close contact with an animal that carries the infection.
Once the virus develops in people, coronaviruses can be spread from person to person through respiratory droplets. This is a technical name for the wet stuff that moves through the air when you cough or sneeze.
The viral material hangs out in these droplets and can be breathed into the respiratory tract (your windpipe and lungs), where the virus can then lead to an infection.
The 2019 coronavirus hasn’t been definitively linked to a specific animal.
But researchers believe that the virus may have been passed from bats to another animal — either snakes and pangolins — and then transmitted to humans. This transmission likely occurred in the open food market in Wuhan, China.
You’re at high risk for developing this virus if you come into contact with someone who’s carrying it, especially if you’ve been exposed to their saliva or been near them when they’ve coughed or sneezed.
Washing your hands and disinfecting surfaces can help decrease your risk for catching this or other viruses.
Older men seem to be especially susceptible to the virus. A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) found that the median age of people testing positive for this coronavirus was around 45 years and that over two-thirds of those people were male.
There’s currently no treatment specifically approved for the 2019 coronavirus, and no cure for an infection, although treatments and vaccines are currently under study. Instead, treatment focuses on managing symptoms as the virus runs its course.
Seek immediate medical help if you think you have COVID-19. Your doctor will recommend treatment for any symptoms or complications that develop.
The best way to prevent the spread of this virus is to avoid or limit contact with people who are showing symptoms of the virus and have traveled to China in the past 14 days.
The next best thing you can do is practice good hygiene to prevent bacteria and viruses from spreading.
- Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds at a time with warm water and soap.
- Don’t touch your face, eyes, nose, or mouth when your hands are dirty.
- Don’t go out if you’re feeling sick or have any cold or flu symptoms.
- Cover your mouth with the inside of your elbow whenever you sneeze or cough. Throw away any tissues you use to blow your nose or sneeze right away.
- Keep any objects you touch a lot cleaner. Use disinfectants on objects like phones, computers, utensils, dishware, and door handles.
Source: Health Line.
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