Started from a Wuhan, a city of China, Coronavirus pandemic not only infected nearly half-million people around the globe but it has crashed international markets as well. Though Coronavirus pandemic has been declared A Global threat, with quarantine, social distancing, and following the precautions one can save lives.
From December last year, a disease later termed as SAR-CoV-2, caught the world’s eye with its infectious power. Initially, the Chinese administration dealt it in the usual way. But within no time detecting the new virus of Coronavirus strain which later termed as SAR-CoV-2, because the genetic analyses of it were closely related to bat SARS Coronavirus strain.
SAR-CoV-2 stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 and the disease it spread is COVID-19. Here, COVI stands for Coronavirus and rest stands for December 2019, the date when it was first detected.
How It All Started?
Before moving further on symptoms, precautions, and expectations about the vaccine, it is essential to trace how it all started. As it is no secret that the virus was first detected in China last year, where or how was found the question.
Again it is no secret the most devastating conditions were seen in Wuhan a city of China. In Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital three lungs washing samples were collected from a patient suffering from pneumonia. It was pneumonia of unknown cause. When the samples were tested, a new strain of Coronavirus strain was confirmed, the reason for is mentioned in the opening paragraph.
Quick View: What is a virus?
To understand what a virus is, consider it a living being who lives on debt; it has nothing of its own except a DNA or RNA; it has the ability to produce more like itself. Moreover, a virus works as an assassin, waiting for the right moment to start infecting the body of the carrier.
Here is what a famous site on Viruses study says, “A virus is a small parasite that cannot reproduce by itself.” In simple words virus cannot stand at its own. The site further adds, “Once it infects a susceptible cell, however, a virus can direct the cell machinery to produce more viruses.” Mostly, virus has either RNA or DNA.
According to experts, the virus can only be stopped from spreading through harsh steps.
Symptoms
Now, coming back to Coronavirus, COVID-19 disease, a global threat, the symptoms cannot be visible till 14 days. This makes it necessary for the people to quarantine. Not only quarantine is essential to prevent the pandemic, but social distancing is also equally important.
Here are the symptoms of COVID_19, Coronavirus (the virus can remain in a carrier for 14 days without showing any symptom)
According to WHO (World Health Organization), followings are the symptoms of Coronavirus disease
- fever
- tiredness
- dry cough.
Other symptoms include:
- shortness of breath
- aches and pains
- sore throat
- Very few people will report diarrhea, nausea or a runny nose.
What is Quarantine and is it effective?
From China to the US, the current outbreak of Coronavirus has become a global threat. In fact, it is the worst among all pandemics of human history. Though Swine Flu, Bird Flu of this century and Spanish flu of the 20th century killed millions, the widespread of Coronavirus has the potential to affect millions with weeks.
To prevent the infection, self-isolation and quarantine hold significance. Actually, quarantine and self-isolation both are the same practices where healthy people isolate themselves from orders.
The result of Quarantine and Self-isolation is remarkable to fight the corona pandemic. Quarantine is a practice of separating people who may contain the virus and isolation is for the health concern of others. Isolation means to separate healthy persons from already sick persons.
Whether you have already tested positive with COVID-19 or you came back from an area with the outbreak, stay away from other people, spend all of your time in a separate room, and use the separate toilets as well.
Precautions
The Coronavirus is infectious and it enters into a carrier from mouth, nose, and touch. To stop the spread of the virus and to prevent the virus it is important to cover your mouth with a mask. Along with wearing a mask, avoid shake hands, hugs, and wash hands regularly.
According to WHO, COVID-19 preventions are as under
- Wash your hands with soap and water, or clean them with sanitizer
- Keep at least 1-metre distance between you and people coughing or sneezing
- Must avoid touching your face
- Wear mask on your mouth and nose
- Cover you face and mouth when coughing or sneezing
- Stay home if you feel unwell
- Do not smoke and refrain from other activities that weaken the lungs
- Maintain physical distance by avoiding unnecessary travel and staying away from large groups of people
What is Social Distancing?
From all of the details, it can easily be seen that the Coronavirus pandemic is highly infectious. To prevent the spread of COVID-19 disease maintaining social distance is highly effective and advised. It means taking measures to isolate oneself from the community, friends, society, and even from family. By doing so, one can prevent the spread of the disease.
Vaccine
To cure a disease infected through the virus, a vaccine is required. As the current pandemic Coronavirus is caused by a virus, a vaccine is what scientists and doctors are working on. Human trials have been proceeding to invent the COVID-19 vaccine but it too early to anticipate. It will take some time until then it is advised to wash your hands regularly.
Total no. of cases
‘Worldometers’ is a platform that is tracking Coronavirus cases from all over the world on a daily basis. According to this platform, only of its kind with highly accurate numbers, there are 445,815 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world, at the time this writing. With this massive number, the number of deaths is 19,770. While thousands of affecties losing their lives, 112,037 recovers from the disease. With 314,008 active infected cases, 131,807 have an outcome.
