CoV or Coronavirus is a huge group of viruses that cause flu-like diseases. It can be a normal cold or can be some other severe disease. It normally affects the respiratory tract of mammals and birds. More commonly, it causes severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS.
Over the past few years, the virus was limited to dogs, rats, mice, cats, horses, and cattle. From there, scientists isolated and studied the first-ever sample of the virus in 1937. However, it is now strong enough to enter the human body. Thus it can now easily live there. Such a virus is now persisting in almost all over the world.
The Outbreak
Initially, the virus was found in China. From a seafood market to Wuhan, China, the virus started to spread around the country. Doctors and scientists have named it as COVID-19 or Coronavirus Disease 2019. The virus is mainly causing diseases related to the respiratory tract in humans.
Causes
Coronavirus is mainly caused by viruses that belong to a subfamily Coronaviridae. Where as they belong to the family of Coronaviridae. There are almost four of the most common coronaviruses that are causing distress in humans. They include 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1.
Although there is very minimal research available on the human to human virus spread, it said that it spreads at a fast rate. If a person carrying coronavirus coughs, he can transmit the virus to another person through his mucous.
Further other causes of transmission are:
- Sneezing or coughing without properly covering your mouth
- Having physical contact with the person who carries the virus
- Touching nose or mouth after having contact with surfaces that may have the virus
- It can also spread through feces of the host animal that carries this virus. However, there is uncertainty in such transmission.
- Scientists are not sure whether such contact can transmit the virus to humans or not.
Symptoms
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), common symptoms of coronavirus include respiratory problems. Moreover, it can cause a fever and a cough. It may also cause fatigue. Or you can also have a runny nose. In addition to this, it can also cause sore throat and asthma. However, asthma is caused in severe cases.
Other symptoms include:
- Difficulty in breathing
- Shortness of breath
- Pneumonia
- SARS or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
- Kidney failure
- Death
However, Pneumonia, SARS, kidney failure and death are observed in very severe cases. Thankfully, the death rate due to coronavirus is very low. According to a BBC report, only one percent of a thousand patients have died till now due to the virus. In addition to this, governments and international institutions are striving a lot to prevent the spread of this virus.
Diagnosis of Virus
To diagnose Coronavirus in any patient, doctors take samples of mucous. They can also run tests on respiratory blood. After running the required tests, doctors confirm the presence of the virus in the patient. Then, the person is immediately placed into quarantine to avoid further spread.
People Who Are at Greater Risk
According to scientific reports, there are certain people who are at more risk to get affected by a corona virus. Such peoples include:
- Pregnant women
- People who are 65 years old or older than this
- Young children
Treatment
Unfortunately, scientists have not found any treatment for the virus. Nor have they cultured any vaccine for the virus. That is why it is difficult to treat the virus. Also, you cannot take any antibiotics as it is a viral infection. Thus, all you can do is to adopt some preventive measures.
Here is what you can do to avoid the spread of Coronavirus:
- Avoid contact with the patients who already have the virus or have symptoms like it
- Keep your hands clean and sanitized
- Avoid close contact with pet animals
- Do not consume food that might contain the virus
But just in case you have the symptoms of the virus, then you must visit the doctor as soon as possible. Also, adopt the following measures to get a speedy recovery:
- Take rest as much as possible
- Avoid going shopping, or for work
- Try to maintain distance with other people so they will not get the virus
- Cover your mouth while sneezing and coughing
- Use recommended masks to avoid transmission of the virus
- Drink sufficient water and keep your throat wet
- Avoid smoking
- To relieve pain, you can take ibuprofen or any other similar pain killer
- Use a humidifier or vaporizer
Coronavirus is spreading at a rapid speed across many countries of the world. It is due to immediate preventive measures that the death rate is very low. Also, international health organizations are playing their crucial role in battling against the pandemic. However, it is also the responsibility of every person to adopt preventive steps. This way we can stop the transmission of the virus.
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