All You Need to Know About the Corona Virus

A new virus has reared its head and is spreading panic all over the world. Originating in Wuhan, China, the Coronavirus has already killed a minimum of 1,770 people. More than 70,548 cases of the Coronavirus infection has been lodged in China and deaths have occurred in neighboring countries of Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and even France. We attempt to take a look at the origin, nature, and effects of this virus.

What is the Corona Virus?

The WHO has identified coronviruses as belonging to a family of viruses which can cause a host of symptoms ranging from the trivial to the fatal. Coronaviruses can cause the common cold and also more serious health complaints such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The viruses got transmitted to humans via animals, but the new strain, named COVID-9, spreads from human to human. Its name comes from the Latin word for the crown as the virus looks like a crown when inspected under an electron microscope.

How Will You Know if You Have the CoronaVirus?

A Coronavirus infection can show up as the following symptoms –

• Breathing difficulty
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Fever

More serious forms of the Coronavirus infection can result in pneumonia, multiple organ failure, and eventually, death. The good news amid all of this is, so far, the cases of CoronaVirus studied have shown to have maximum impact for the geriatric population or those with existent underlying health conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

The incubation period i.e., the onset of symptoms once the contamination has occurred is, 1-12 days. Individuals already affected have generally reported their symptoms within 5/6 days.

Are You At Risk?

While most cases of Coronavirus continue to be in the Hubei province of China, the infection has spread to other continents such as Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle Eastern regions, and America as well. Cases outside China have been reported for foreign individuals who have recently traveled to the Eastern country and via human-to-human transmission resulting from these individuals.

What Steps Are Being Taken to Control the Outbreak?

Chinese authorities have sealed the province of Wuhan and placed restrictions on travel both into and out of the geographical area. Currently, scientists across the world are furiously trying to develop a vaccine to combat the effects of this virus. However, the vaccine is not expected to be released before 2021.

The WHO has deemed the Coronavirus to be a global health emergency and advises against travel to China at any cost. It has also called for government around the world to establish safety procedures in line with the UN health agency.

What You Can Do

While the Coronavirus may not be an immediate health concern to you or your family, it is essential that you acquire all the information possible about it to prevent instances of infection.

The Phoenix Family Medical Clinic is open for you to walk in and get your cold and flu symptoms checked out. It treats pneumonia and respiratory diseases, as well. If you believe you might have contracted the Coronavirus, we suggest you come down to get yourself checked out by our health specialists before giving into spreading wider panic.

• Prev
• Next