At the moment, there’s no reason to suggest you’ll catch coronavirus (unless you have recently returned from China or been in contact with an infected individual), but good hygiene always helps!
At the moment, there’s no reason to suggest you’ll catch coronavirus (unless you have recently returned from China or been in contact with an infected individual), but good hygiene always helps!
Over the last few weeks there’s an emerging global health concern that is gripping the world – Coronavirus. So what exactly is it and should we really be worried? We hear from family physician and health expert @doctorsayyada about the disease and what we know so far…
The story so far
On 31st December 2019, Chinese authorities reported a case of pneumonia with an unknown cause in Wuhan, Hubei province to the World Health Organisation’s China office. As more and more cases emerged, totalling 44 by 3rd January, the virus causing fever and flu-like symptoms was isolated and identified as a new Coronavirus, now known as 2019-nCoV. As of 2nd February there have been 14,557 confirmed cases globally, with 305 deaths.
What is this new virus?
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are known to cause respiratory tract illnesses, ranging from the common cold to more severe respiratory diseases. Generally, Coronavirus can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, the elderly and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease. The new Coronavirus recently identified in Wuhan (2019-nCoV) is a new strain of Coronavirus that has not been previously identified in humans.
Where did this new Coronavirus come from?
The majority of patients in the initial outbreak in Wuhan City reported a link to Huanan South China Seafood Market, which suggests the virus was transmitted from animals to humans. The new Coronavirus has been found to be similar to the SARS-like Coronavirus which originated from bats. However the actual animal source is still yet to be confirmed.
How does it spread?
Because it’s a new illness, we don’t know exactly how Wuhan Coronavirus spreads from person to person, but similar viruses spread by air droplets from coughing or sneezing.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms are similar to normal flu symptoms – including:
- A cough
- A high temperature
- Difficulty breathing
These symptoms tend to occur between 2 and 14 days after exposure to the virus and can be diagnosed using laboratory-based diagnostic testing.
What should I do if I feel unwell?
If you’ve returned from China in the last 14 days, or been in contact with an infected person:
- Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people
- Seek medical advice over the telephone, in the UK call the NHS 111 service to tell them of your recent travel to China
Is there any treatment for Coronavirus?
There is no specific treatment for the Coronavirus, treatment is aimed at relieving the symptoms.
What can I do to avoid it?
At the moment, there’s no reason to suggest you’ll catch Coronavirus (unless you have recently returned from China or been in contact with an infected individual), but good hygiene always helps! Things you can do include:
- Frequently clean hands using soap and water
- Cough and sneeze into a tissue or into your elbow so that your nose and mouth is covered
- Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever and cough
- Safe food practices
- Stay at home, take plenty of fluids and rest
- If you’re in the UK and develop symptoms call 111
This is a rapidly evolving situation so be sure to stay informed with up-to-date information via the World Health Organisation, and be aware of local health policies/information regarding the Coronavirus.
Stay healthy and blessed!
Follow Dr. Sayyada here @doctorsayyada.
Sources:
The World Health Organization: Coronavirus
