Introduction
A newly identified corona virus has been spreading in China, and has now reached several other countries. As the number of confirmed cases and deaths continue to rise, health officials are working on all fronts to learn more about the virus and put measures into place to curtail its spread.
What is a coronavirus?
Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that cause diseases in mammals, including humans, and birds. In humans, the virus causes respiratory infections which are typically mild but, in rare cases, can be lethal. In cows and pigs they may cause diarrhea, while in chickens it can cause an upper respiratory disease. There are no vaccines or antiviral drugs that are approved for prevention or treatment.
There are seven strains of human coronaviruses:
- Human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E)
- Human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43)
- SARS-CoV
- Human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63, New Haven coronavirus)
- Human coronavirus HKU1
- Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), previously known as novel coronavirus 2012 and HCoV-EMC.
- Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
The 2019–20 China pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan was traced to a novel coronavirus, which is labeled as 2019-nCoV by WHO.
In a new study, however, researchers sequenced the genes of 2019-nCoV (as the virus is now called), and then they compared it with the genetic sequences of more than 200 coronaviruses that infect various animals around the world.
Previously, The scientists noted there are two snakes that are common to southeastern China where the outbreak originated: the many-banded krait (Bungarus multicinctus) and the Chinese cobra (Naja atra). As per the current report, they believed that it should be spread from the mammal Bat meat.
However, some experts have criticized the study, saying it’s unclear if coronaviruses can indeed infect snakes.
How did the virus hop from animals to humans?
Some viruses are known to become capable of transmitting to humans, and this coronavirus is one of those. But, the virus hopped from illegal market for meat in china especially from snakes for the Novel corona virus.
Can the virus spread between people?
Yes, in limited cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but the primary mode of transmission seems to be from animal to human. In terms of how one would catch the virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that human coronaviruses are most commonly spread between an infected person and others via:
—the air (from viral particles from a cough or sneeze);
—close personal contact (touching or shaking hands);
—an object or surface with viral particles on it (then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands);
—and rarely from fecal contamination.
Symptoms and Treatments
The symptoms of most coronaviruses are similar to any other upper respiratory infection, including runny nose, coughing,sore throat, and sometimes a fever. In most cases, you won’t know whether you have a coronavirus or a different cold-causing virus, such as rhinovirus.
No specific treatment is currently available, but existing anti-virals are being studied.
In January 2020, based on the 2019-nCoV published genome, several projects, three supported by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), began work on creating a vaccine for the Wuhan coronavirus. The United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) started cooperating with the biotechnology company Moderna to create a vaccine, hoping to start production by May 2020.
How many people have the new virus & How far has the virus spread?
As of Sunday, there are more than 2,700 confirmed cases and at least 80 deaths linked to the2019-nCoV virus, according to The New York Times. About 80 people have died and 2463 people infected by the novel virus. Infection increases day by day.
The first cases of the pneumonia-like virus were reported in Wuhan, China, on Dec. 31, 2019.
Since then, the virus has spread to various other countries, including Thailand, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United States, Australia, France, Taiwan, among others.
Novel Coronavirus in India
Nearly 100 people have been kept under observation in Kerala and Maharashtra following screening for a possible exposure to novel coronavirus (nCoV) as the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Saturday reviewed India’s preparedness to deal with any situation amid mounting global concern over rising cases in China.
In Maharashtra, two of the three persons admitted to a hospital in Mumbai for possible exposure to the coronavirus have tested negative for infection but are still under observation as a precaution, while blood test results of a third person were awaited, officials said.
What is being done to stop the spread of the coronavirus?
The Chinese government has stopped most of the travel to and from Wuhan as well as 12 other nearby cities, according to The New York Times. This “lockdown” affects about 35 million people, the Times reported
“The Chinese government’s announcement today to temporarily ban the sale of wildlife in markets, restaurants and over e-commerce needs to be permanent. We congratulate the government for taking this important first step,” Christian Walzer, chief global veterinarian at for the Wildlife Conservation Society,
If traveling to Wuhan, you should avoid contact with sick people, avoid dead or alive animals, animal markets or products that come from animals such as uncooked meat.
Self-prevention can be done
To help prevent a corona-virus infection, do the same things you do to avoid the common cold:
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water or with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Keep your hands and fingers away from your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Avoid close contact with people who are infected.
- You treat a corona-virus infection the same way you treat a cold:
- Get plenty of rest.
- Drink fluids.
- Take over-the-counter medicine for a sore throat and fever. But don’t give aspirin to children or teens younger than 19; use ibuprofen or acetaminophen instead.
A humidifier or steamy shower can also help ease a sore and scratchy throat.
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
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