What Is Coronavirus And What Are Measures To Prevent It From Happening

Coronaviruses are usually the type of viruses that affect the respiratory tract of birds and mammals, including humans. It is linked with common cold, pneumonia, bronchitis and severe cute respiratory syndrome (SARS). In some cases, it’s also found to affect the guts. The name ‘coronavirus’ is derived from the crown-like projections on the surface of these bacteria. ‘Corona’ in Latin means ‘Halo’ or ‘Crown’. The coronavirus antibodies do not last for a long time in the body. The antibodies for one strain of Coronavirus might be ineffective for the other.

Recently, the scientists identified a new Coronavirus outbreak in China which have, till date, reached to several countries. It was named ‘Covid-19’. The Covid-19 virus is caused by a member of the coronavirus family which has never been seen before. But like other coronaviruses, it comes from animals. It is typically responsible for common colds more than it is responsible for serious diseases. However, it is also responsible for some severe outbreaks. Over the decades, scientists found that coronavirus can infect mice, rats, turkeys, cats, dogs, horses, pigs and cattle. It is transmitted into humans through these animals sometimes.

The virus has been travelling worldwide, grabbing hold of thousands in the process. The epidemic virus that started in China, has now affected more than 95,000 human beings worldwide. In China alone, it has become responsible for deaths of more than 3,000 people. The devastating data is supposed to rise in the coming days if this virus is not stopped from spreading further.

More recently, the virus travelled to India. As of now, the cases of infection have quickly risen from 6 to 31 in the time span of 4-5 days. And currently, no vaccine has been formulated to tackle this epidemic virus Covid-19. Authorities in India have ordered the immediate shutdown of primary schools till 31^st march to restrict the transmission of this virus. Self-care is the best cure available in the market. The central government made the checking and universal screening compulsory for all international passengers arriving in India. Afraid of the epidemic, the government also imposed travel restrictions on people travelling from severely affected nations such as Italy, Iran, China, Japan and South Korea. More than 14,500 cases of the infection in 79 countries outside China has been confirmed.

The symptoms can be easily confused with the common cold. The cold or flu-like symptoms usually set in 2-4 days after the virus has infected the body and are usually mild. The range of symptoms depends on person to person but some form of the virus proves to be fatal. Those who have been caught by the virus are reported to suffer coughs, fever and breathing difficulties. There can be an organ failure as well in severe cases. The recovery is completely dependent on the strength of the immune system. Many people who died because of this virus were already in poor health. The common symptoms to look out for are –

• Sneezing
• Runny nose
• Fatigue
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Fever in some cases
• Exacerbated asthma

Since there are no medicines available for curing the virus, it’s best to try to take measures yourself to prevent getting in touch with the virus. Some of the important measures you can take to keep the virus away are –

1. Avoid sick people. Try not to get near people who are already sick. A distance of at least three feet between you and anyone who is coughing or sneezing is advised.
2. Try not to touch your eyes, nose and mouth frequently.
3. If you’re sick, do not get out of your home.
4. Always cover whenever you cough or sneeze. Dispose of the tissue safely afterwards.
5. Keep the frequently-touched objects and surfaces clean and disinfected using a regular cleaning spray or wipe.
6. Wearing a mask is advised, especially around an infected person to prevent the spread of the epidemic virus.
7. Washing hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is of utmost importance, especially after going to the bathroom, prior eating and after blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing.
8. Seek medical attention immediately if you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing.
9. Do not ignore the travel advisory by the Ministry of Health and welfare.

All in all, Covid-19 can prove to be a fatal virus if not taken proper care of. The infection cases are spreading at an alarming rate and one should be always careful to avoid the virus. After all, prevention is better than cure.

Yathartha Hospital is one of the leading names in healthcare hospitality and provides treatment for almost every condition. We at Yathartha, believes in keeping the patient as our top priority and do whatever we can to give them the ultimate healthcare service while treating them with the best equipment in the healthcare industry.