CORONAVIRUS- IMPACTS, SYMPTOMS AND PREVENTION
By SUHAIB IDREES LATEEF, SALMA LATEEF
Coronavirus or COVID 19(CORONA VIRUS DISEASE) or nCOV-2019 is an infectious disease caused by a new virus that had not been previously identified in humans. The virus causes respiratory illness similar like flu with symptoms such as a cough, fever and is characterized by mild symptoms including a runny nose, sore throat, coldness, and slow grade body temperature. Illness can be more severe for some people and can lead to pneumonia or breathing difficulties.
Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people, mostly in vertebrates. It is a large family of old RNA viruses that cause illness ranging from the severe common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain in humans emerged like a catastrophe, the social and electronic media flowed with reports of disaster, starting from Wuhan China acting as epicentre of the epidemic, it has now spread to Europe, USA involved whole of the globe in its transformation.
All this epidemic evoked fear and alarm as a result of fatalities as quick and daily advent of deaths. The outbreak spread more rapidly, detected in more than a century of countries including India, crossing over 5500 deaths worldwide. The highest no. of deaths were reported from China, South Korea an Iran. It is now gaining more grounds in Europe than China from past couple of days.
On Friday, the World Health Organization warned that Europe has now become the “epicentre” for the pandemic, called COVID-19, reporting more daily cases than China did at the height of its outbreak.
Two deaths have been reported from India while more than 15000 people are under surveillance. Recently Dr Suhail Naik has termed the epidemic as programmed nuclear chain reaction as it is increasing day by day with more and more no. of deaths. We should preferably go for symptoms in any ways.
IMPACTS OF CORONAVIRUS
Firstly, WHO declaration of global emergency with U.S.-EU traffic ban can damp the global economic culture. U.S particularly has declared emergency in its whole country yesterday with some other major countries like India ,Qatar, China denying Visas and exits to rest world.
Italy tightened its strict quarantine and the US imposed a ban on flights to Europe. Europe is largely seen to get effected in view of its dependence mostly on foreign markets.
Meanwhile, the virus has spread to at least 18 countries on the African continent, with Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Guinea all confirming their first cases on Friday.
The UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO) forecasts that Japan could lose $1.29 billion of tourism revenue in the first quarter due to the drop in Chinese travellers, while Thailand could lose $1.15 billion because of this deadly virus.
Cyprus will shut its borders for 15 days to any individual other than Cypriots, Europeans and persons with special permits in a precautionary move against coronavirus. The same move was done by Pakistan to completely seal its borders with Afghanistan and Bangladesh in view of this pandemic to prevent it from entering.
While in a move to prevent COVID, President of Poland ordered ban of foreigners entering the country from Sunday and impose a 14-day quarantine.
In a simultaneous move Tunisia home office ordered to immediately suspend prayers in mosques, close cafes at 4pm every day, and ban all cultural, sports and economic gatherings to combat the spread of deadly virus into the country.
Countries are closing marketing and economic activities like Italy’s major market closure and are banning gathering like Iran’s ban on small cum large gatherings. It has shut mouth of global market. China the world’s 2nd highest market is in a huge danger as the country has been badly affected by the epidemic.
The Symptoms including Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. It has almost surprised and choked the modern Science and technology which doesn’t have any antivirals or vaccines to combat.
The Standard recommendations to prevent COVID infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.
Fortunately, there are several things people can do to protect themselves. The most important is hand hygiene. People should wash their hands often with a hand wash preferably alcohol based hand rubs should be used or sanitizers (ethyl alcohol based). Stay as much as away from anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Avoid as much you can in touching your eyes, nose or mouth or ear.
Make a good practice of respiratory hygiene, cough or sneeze into a tissue only. Don’t use face masks or if used change them after every 2 to 3 days. If you feel unwell or tired, please stay at home or where you are residing. Don’t rush for hospitals without any custom or any such place where masses gather.
Everybody is requested to follow latest and advanced advice from Govt health Authorities as they are in continuous touch with rest of countries and scientific staff and medical assistants in order of this epidemic. Please and please don’t pay attention to any kind of rumour regarding and please don’t spread rumours. Civil and health societies plus small cum large NGOs should be at forefront in awareness and kept people alert in all about it.
The writers are Engineering graduates and can be reached at [email protected]