All you need to know about Novel Coronavirus

With the news of the fresh global crisis in the form of coronavirus arriving with our news every day, the new decade has not begun on a good note. The world is on tenterhooks, waiting for updates on the rapidly unfolding mayhem of Coronavirus and COVID-19.

But what is coronavirus? And what makes it so dangerous?

These are a few questions whose answers you must know to ensure that you are well-informed about the situation.

Further, it is also crucial that you are aware of the symptoms of COVID-19 and the precautions you can take to ensure maximum safety for yourself and your family.

So, without further ado, let us delve into the details of what we know so far about coronavirus. 

What is Coronavirus?

Coronavirus is an umbrella term for a group of viruses that cause a range of illnesses branching from common cold to more dangerous illnesses like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

How is Coronavirus Transmitted?

Coronaviruses are usually transmitted through animal to human beings, making them zoonotic in nature. Previously, China saw an outbreak of SARS in the year 2002, which had been transmitted through civet cats and had reached epidemic levels.

However, even though the exact source of transmission for novel coronavirus is still unclear, new studies have put forth bats as likely hosts for this specific virus. (1)

How Dangerous is Coronavirus?

Now that we have learned what it is, we will answer the next obvious question of how dangerous coronavirus is.

Even though the symptoms of this disease are mostly pneumonia-like, what makes it dangerous is that it can lead to a severe acute respiratory syndrome, failure of kidneys, as well as death.

Further, since the disease is spreading alarmingly fast and has no known cure as of yet, the situation has become severely critical.

What is the Cause of Coronavirus Transmission?

As mentioned before, new studies pin bats as the most likely source of this latest outbreak of coronavirus. The virus most likely passed on from bats to human beings through an intermediary animal.

However, the rapid transmission of this disease is far more concerning that its source. The disease can spread from one infected person to a healthy person through:

• Touching a virus contaminated surface, and subsequently your mouth, nose, or eyes, without washing hands properly.
• The air, due to sneezing or coughing.
• Through faecal matter, though unlikely.
• Close physical contact with an infected person (through shaking hands or touching).

Important: Learn more about the advantages & disadvantages of Coronavirus Insurance in India

What are the Symptoms of Coronavirus?

The most common signs of coronavirus infection include:

• respiratory trouble,
• Cough,
• Fever,
• Shortness of breath,
• Breathing trouble, etc.

 However, severe cases might also include:

• Pneumonia,
• Acute respiratory syndrome,
• Kidney failure,
• Death

Treatment of Coronavirus

As of now, there is no vaccine to prevent the novel coronavirus infection. Doctors are mostly recommending supportive care to treat the mild cases of this infection. This includes:

• Taking fever and pain medication.
• Taking measures of ease, cough and sore throat.
• Taking plenty of fluids.
• Rest.

More severe cases leading to secondary bacterial infection are being treated in isolation in hospitals. Individuals hit by the worst case of the disease are being put on mechanical ventilation. 

Precautions to Undertake to Prevent Spread of Coronavirus

Even though there is no fool-proof way to prevent the disease, there are some precautionary measures that you can undertake to reduce the risk of infection. Few of them are as follows:

• Washing hands frequently with soap and water for a duration of at least 20 seconds. In case of unavailability of soap/water, individuals can make use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
• Avoiding touching nose, mouth, eyes without washing hands.
• Avoiding physical contact with individuals who are sick.
• Coughing or sneezing into a tissue and disposing of the tissue after use.
• Disinfecting and cleaning surfaces which are touched frequently.

India, like the rest of the world is battling the novel coronavirus. The cases are  increasing rapidly with thousands of cases being detected everyday.

To prevent the spread of the disease, India has so far undertaken the following measures:

• The government has imposed a strict 3-month lockdown followed by relaxed lockdowns. It has now begun relaxing these curbs with precautions.
• The government has increased testing capacity and, to that effect, has given permission to private labs to conduct tests too.
  
• Measures are being undertaken to arrange more hospital beds across the country to ensure that states are well-prepared to deal with the increasing incidence of the COVID-19.
• The government has set up a 24x7 helpline at the National Centre of Disease Control at New Delhi to respond to all the queries regarding the disease.
• Social distancing norms have been issued to prevent the virus from spreading.
• States have set up helplines and dedicated hospitals for treating COVID-19 patients.

Top Websites You Can Follow for Live Updates on Novel Coronavirus

• NYTimes
• The Guardian
• Times of India
• CNN