BEWARE OF DEADLY NOVEL CORONAVIRUS!

Introduction

Coronavirus is a viral infection that mimic the signs and symptoms of common cold until laboratory test to confirm. It is usually transmitted between animals and human, hence zoonotic in nature( WHO, CDC; credit: Douglas Adu-Fokuo, MPH &IMPH). There are two main human coronaviruses such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-COv) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-COv) until recently, WHO identified the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019–nCOv) in China ( http://www.cdc.gov, http://www.webmed.com, http://www.who.int).

Both the MERS-COv and SARS-COv cause severe signs and symptoms including the 2019-nCOv such as fever,runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, chills, body aches then in some cases, bronchitis or pneumonia. People with weak immune system are vulnerable to the disease (CDC, WHO, webMed). One can get the disease through contact with infected person through sneezing or coughing, touching or shaking infected surfaces or hands but faecal contamination is very rare (WebMed.com).

Six countries so far have been affected by this disease which include China, Japan, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Thailand and USA (CDC, WHO cited in Douglas Adu-Fokuo, 2020, MPH, IMPH). 9 deaths, 441 confirmed cases, 25 cases fully recovered and 170 suspected cases recorded (WHO cited in Douglas Adu-Fokuo, 2020, MPH, IMPH).

Brief History

Coronaviruses were first identified in 1960s but no source of the disease was detected. The name came as a result of their crown-like shape. MERS-COv was detected in Saudi Arabia in 2012, with about 858 deaths then Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe. The disease was detected in USA in 2014 when some Americans came from Saudi Arabia, 2015 in Korea but SARS-COv was first detected in 2003, with 774 deaths but January 2020, WHO identified the new type, 2019-nCOv in China, with 300 confirmed cases in China (WebMed.com, Who.int).

Treatment

No specific treatment but symptomatic treatment such as pain and fever medications, cough mixtures if you are coughing and others.

It is advisable to treat this condition like common cold such as having adequate rest, taking adequate fluid diet (fruits, water, soup etcs) and others (cdc.gov).

Prevention (cdc.gov)

Self

1. Wash hands regularly with clean soap under clean running water.

2. Wash your hands before touching your eyes, nose or mouth to prevent infections.

3. Avoid close contact with infected people.

4. Reduce contact with farm animals or wild life, and/or wash hands after touching farm animals or wildlife.

Others

1. Reduce outings, stay indoors.

2. Avoid close contact with others.

3. Cover your mouth or nostril with clean tissue when coughing or sneezing, and discard into the bin or sneeze into your elbow, and wash your hands.

4. Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces.

Healthcare providers

1. Please, use standard infection control measures.

Conclusion

Coronavirus is deadly but preventable. Let us all be health-conscious. Thank you.