About Coronavirus
Coronavirus is a virus that had been first discovered in 1960s. The primary presenting features of this condition include cough, runny, nose, and cold symptoms. The infection spreads from cattle to humans. Originally, there were only five strains of the Coronavirus. However, in December of 2019 a new strain called the (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) was discovered in the Wuhan Province of China. This as of now is the deadliest strain of the coronavirus.[1]
Since coronavirus (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) spreads to humans through cattle, it is the farmers and cattle breeders who are most at risk. For most of the strains of the coronavirus, the symptoms are mild to moderate and go away in a few days to weeks. In severe cases, some strains of the coronavirus can cause respiratory infections like SARS and MERS, both of which are quite serious and life-threatening. However, the most recent (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) strain of the coronavirus is the deadliest of all the strains. This can be ascertained from the fact that more than a hundred people have lost their lives in just a few weeks of its outbreak in China and numerous others are infected. It has taken the shape of an endemic and slowly progressing towards an epidemic.[1]
The worst part about the coronavirus (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) is that it spreads from one person to another without even causing any symptoms. This means that both the infected and the uninfected person do not even realize that they have contracted the virus until finally they start developing symptoms. The coronavirus (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) is extremely aggressive virus and within no time can lead to symptom onset. The incubation period for the (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) coronavirus at minimum is from a few hours to a couple of days after exposure to a maximum of a couple of weeks. The severe symptoms of the virus are observed with a week of the exposure to the virus.[1]
It is important to know about different ways to prevent getting infected. The best way to prevent getting infected with coronavirus (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) is by avoiding going to the areas where the infected started from. In case if already in the infection prone area then it is recommended to wash the hands frequently with soap and water. It is also essential to keep the mouth covered with mask, and avoid any sort of contact with people who show signs of a respiratory infection, including cough, cold, or runny nose.[1]
It is also better to go to the nearest hospital for a checkup if an individual experiences any of the above mentioned symptoms. Whether people who stay outside of the area where the infection is at its worst should be worried about the coronavirus (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) is what has been explained below in the article.[1]
Should You Be Worried About Coronavirus?
Since its discovery in December, many people believed that the infection would spread like wildfire due to the week-long lunar New Year celebrations beginning in the third week of January. However, immediately after the discovery of the virus all the celebrations have been canceled in China. At present, it seems that people with compromised immune system and the elderly are at maximum risk for this coronavirus (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) infection. The major area of concern however is the severity of the symptoms key concern is the range of severity of symptoms where some people have mild form of illness and others have severe symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) .
This is the reason the real extent of the spread of the virus till now has not been able to be established.[2]
The physicians and researchers are working towards finding a treatment that is potent enough to cure the coronavirus (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) infection. For people in the United States, unless they have been to China in the recent past or have someone who has a travel history to the endemic areas, they do not need to worry. Physicians’ state that a normal cough and cold should be treated normally unless it becomes persistent and is accompanied by other symptoms like chest pain and problems with breathing.[2]
As of now, more than 300 have already lost their lives in China and the numbers are increasing. As of now, there is no need for the people living in the United States to be worried or panicked due to the (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) coronavirus. There are chances that the WHO will declare coronavirus (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) infection as a health emergency. As long as the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) infection is controlled and there is a check on the number of people who have been admitted to the hospital with severe symptoms of the infection, there is no need to worry.[2]
It has been generally that viruses which spread easily have a much lower impact than others. As of now, only the elderly and in a few cases children seem to have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) the most. However, precautions should be taken by people living in the affected areas to ensure that they are protected against the coronavirus (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV) .[2]
Also Read:
