The recent outbreak of this virus has caused panic among the public. A coronavirus is a kind of common virus that causes an infection in your nose, sinuses, or upper throat. After the news was published regarding its spread from China to other countries there has been huge panic regarding the virus. The virus can lead to pneumonia, respiratory failure, septic shock, and death. In world 1,48,59,811 reported cases 6,13,367 death and 89,12,303 recovered from COVID-19. In Nepal, there have been 17,844 reported cases of 40 death, and 11868 recovered with this virus. So what is a coronavirus, symptoms, and how to prevent? We have all the answers you need to know.
Table of Contents
Common Symptoms of Coronavirus
- fever
- tiredness
- dry cough
Less common symptoms:
- aches and pains
- headache
- diarrhea
- sore throat
- loss of taste or smell
- conjunctivitis
How To Prevent?
There is no vaccine for coronavirus. The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about the COVID-19 virus, the disease it causes, and how it spreads. To help prevent a coronavirus infection, Follow the advice provided by your local health authority.
To prevent the spread of COVID-19:
- 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 coronavirus infection the same way you treat a cold.
- Wear a mask when physical distancing is not possible.
- Drink fluids.
- Cover your nose and mouth with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
- Maintain a safe distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.
- 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.
- Stay home if you feel unwell.
Is the virus being transmitted from one person to another?
Experts believe the virus that causes COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person. The virus most often transmitted through people who have symptoms. But it is possible to pass it on without showing any signs. Some people who don’t know they’ve been infected can give it to others. There are several ways this can happen. like Droplets, Airborne transmission, Surface transmission, etc.
At what point should you go to the doctor if you have a cough, say?
Unless you have recently traveled to China or been in contact with someone infected with the virus, then you should treat any cough or cold symptoms as normal. The NHS advises that there is generally no need to visit a doctor for a cough unless it is persistent or you are having other symptoms such as chest pain, difficulty breathing or you feel very unwell.
Why is this any worse than normal influenza?
We don’t yet know how dangerous the new coronavirus is – and we won’t know until more data comes in. However, this is likely to be an overestimate since there may be a far larger pool of people who have been infected by the virus but who have not suffered severe enough symptoms to attend hospital and so have not been counted in the data. For comparison, seasonal flu typically has a mortality rate below 1% and is thought to cause about 400,000 deaths each year globally. Another key unknown, of which scientists should get a clearer idea in the coming weeks, is how contagious the coronavirus is.
A crucial difference is that unlike flu, there is no vaccine for the new coronavirus, which means it is more difficult for vulnerable members of the population – elderly people or those with existing respiratory or immune problems – to protect themselves. One sensible step to get the flu vaccine, which will reduce the burden on health services if the outbreak turns into a wider epidemic.
So should you be worried about the virus? The virus doesn’t seem to affect people who are healthy and have a good immune system. The recent cases of death by the virus have been mostly elders or people who already have an underlying medical condition such as heart disease, respiratory problems, and a weak immune system.