JCK Duworah:
A deadly new strain of coronavirus has killed over 2oo people in China, and infected thousands more across the world. India’s first case of Coronavirus of a student from Wuhan University has been reported in Kerala. Thousands infected after the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus. China has sealed off several cities, effectively trapping tens of millions of people, in a bid to contain the spread of the virus. Indian authorities are working to pre-empt the spread of the infectant, known as the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
Apart from infections raising concern is Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, caused by a type of coronavirus, which emerged in 2012. Infection with the MERS virus can cause fever, cough and shortness of breath, and is particularly deadly in older people or people with weakened immune systems or other illnesses.Jan 30, 2015
- wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- avoid close contact with people who are sick.
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There is no cure, so treatments include taking care of yourself and over-the-counter (OTC) medication:
- Rest and avoid overexertion.
- Drink enough water.
- Avoid smoking and smoky areas.
- Take acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen to reduce pain and fever.
- Use a clean humidifier or cool mist vaporizer.
- Recommended for the vaccination of healthy dogs as an aid in the prevention of disease caused by canine distemper virus, adenovirus type 1 (hepatitis), adenovirus type 2 (respiratory disease), canine parainfluenza virus, canine parvovirus, and coronavirus.
What are the symptoms of coronavirus infections?
- Common symptoms of a coronavirus infection include fever, cough
- 2019-nCoV detected after mysterious pneumonia cases were reported in China
The symptoms of a coronavirus infection depend on the type of infectant, but “common signs include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties,” the World Health Organisation (WHO) says.
Severe infections can cause conditions like pneumonia and can even be deadly, the UN body adds. In fact, 2019-nCoV was detected after Chinese health authorities reported mysterious pneumonia cases in Hubei, a central province (more on that later).
The WHO has published an exhaustive list of clinical syndromes linked with nCoV infections.
India has asked citizens who feel sick while travelling in China — or within a month of returning from China — to promptly seek medical help and follow standard guidelines, available here. The government has also advised citizens against travelling to China. An earlier advisory advised against “non-essential travel”.
Citizens who’ve come into contact with people infected with 2019-nCoV should monitor their health for a 28-day period and seek medical attention if they develop a fever, cough or breathing difficulties, the Indian health ministry says.
How dangerous is the Wuhan coronavirus?
Where did the current outbreak begin?
The outbreak of 2019-nCoV has been linked to the Huanan Seafood Market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where wildlife was being sold illegally (although this theory has now been questioned). Remember, coronaviruses are initially transmitted between animals and humans.
Reports by TIME and the Wall Street Journal say the market sold all kinds of wildlife, from ostriches to porcupines.
“It was no secret to anyone in Wuhan that Huanan Seafood Market sold a lot more than its name suggested. While one side of the low-slung warren of stalls did primarily stock fish and shellfish, the other offered a cornucopia of spices, sundries and, if you knew where to look, beavers, porcupines and snakes.”
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- WHO recommendations include good hand and respiratory hygiene
- India has advised citizens to avoid non-essential travel to China
The WHO’s standard recommendations for protection from a variety of illnesses apply to the coronavirus outbreak. Check out the infographic above for a brief overview.
India has cautioned its citizens against travelling to China.
Indians who feel sick while in China, or within a month of returning from China have been asked promptly seek medical help and follow standard guidelines.
For more information and links to resources, read our full article on coronavirus precautions.
What is India doing to monitor the threat?
India is monitoring individuals who may have been exposed to 2019-nCoV and has an Air India plane on stand by to evacute its nationals from Wuhan, and has made a formal request to Beijing for help.
The World Health Organisation says the new coronavirus epidemic is a high global risk but hasn’t declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, or PHEIC.
The national helpline for information and assistance related to the coronavirus threat is 011-23978046.
This guide contains everything you need to know about coronaviruses, and the 2019-nCoV in particular. It will be updated daily as and when new information becomes available.
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- 2019-nCoV appears to have lower fatality rate than SARS virus
- But it seems to be spreading faster, said to be infectious during incubation period
The World Health Organisation’s global risk assessment for 2019-nCoV is “high”. It is “very high” for China, the source of the outbreak. But the UN body hasn’t declared a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” — or PHEIC — like the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo last year.
Over 130 people have died so far, all of them in China. Thousands of others have been infected across multiple continents — a number that rose sharply in a very short timespan. (See Reuters graphic below.)
Little is known about 2019-nCoV. China has confirmed human-to-human transmission, and said the virus is infectious during its 1-14 day incubation period — in other words, before the first symptoms appear.
For now, 2019-nCoV appears to have a lower fatality rate than the SARS virus, but it is certainly appears to be spreading quicker.
Scientists have identified 2019-nCoV’s genetic code, enabling scientists to work on vaccines. There’s currently no vaccine or specific treatment for infections.
- Coronaviruses get their name because of their protein spikes
- They’re transmitted between animals, humans; 7 kinds infect people
The Wuhan coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV, is part of a family of viruses named for the effect created by spike proteins on their shells, or capsids. Think of how the outer layer of the sun’s atmosphere, known as the corona (Latin for crown), appears during a total solar eclipse.
“Any vaccine for the Wuhan coronavirus would focus on the antigenic viral spike proteins which look like a halo or crown…of bulbous spikes for which the coronavirus is named. This protein binds to the ACE2 receptor in our lung cells like a forged key to break in.”
Seven kinds of coronavirus can infect people, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They include 2019-nCoV, and the viruses that cause Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV), both of which have killed hundreds (see microscope images below).
Coronaviruses are initially transmitted from animals to humans. China says 2019-nCoV can be transmitted between people.
The health ministry has published FAQs for citizens and guidlines for healthcare practitioners. (Follow the health ministry on Twitter at @MoHFW_INDIA and visit the Disease Alerts page at https://mohfw.gov.in/media/disease-alerts)
The national helpline for information and assistance related to the coronavirus threat is 011-23978046.