As the coronavirus pandemic continues to run rampant in various parts of the world, it’s a good idea to educate yourself on this disease. Being informed will help in curbing the spread of this virus.
Here’s what you need to know about COVID-19.
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is the newest strain in the coronavirus family. The coronavirus family contains a vast array of viruses, ranging from the common cold to SARS and MERS. These viruses are unique in that they affect both humans and animals. In fact, they tend to transmit from animals to humans.
COVID-19 began spreading in Wuhan, China. It bears a close resemblance to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), which are also coronaviruses that caused outbreaks in recent years.
What Causes COVID-19?
Just like other coronaviruses, scientists think COVID-19 is also zoonotic, meaning that it first had to develop in animals before it emerged in humans.
Once in humans, COVID-19 spreads from person to person via respiratory droplets. These refer to the moisture that you release to the air whenever you sneeze or cough. The virus may be in the droplets of infected people; if someone inhales the droplets, that person too may get infected.
COVID-19 has yet to be linked to a specific animal. However, researchers believe that it might have come from bats, pangolins, or snakes from the open food markets of Wuhan, where they are a staple commodity.
What are the Symptoms of COVID-19?
Because of its novel nature, we are learning new things about this strain every day. At the moment, authorities have established that COVID-19 does not cause symptoms initially. People can carry the virus for up to two weeks before they start noticing symptoms.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 include:
- Shortness of breath
- A cough that gradually worsens
- Fever
Without medical intervention, the patient might develop a severe case of pneumonia followed by organ failure and even death. However, some individuals are asymptomatic, meaning that they do not display symptoms despite being infected.
How deadly is COVID-19?
Experts say COVID-19 is less deadly than SARS, which resulted in the deaths of up to ten percent of those infected. At the moment, COVID-19’s fatality rate is less than 2 percent.
Moreover, COVID-19 appears to be deadly only to individuals whose immunity is compromised. These include people over 65 years of age and individuals with immune deficiency conditions. Healthy people should be able to handle the symptoms of COVID-19 if they seek medical attention promptly.
Protecting Yourself
Because COVID-19 resides in the moisture droplets released by an infected individual when they talk, cough, or sneeze, the first step to protecting yourself is maintaining social distancing. Try to keep 1.8 metres (6 feet) between yourself and others.
Make sure to wash and sanitize your hands regularly, as you might come into contact with surfaces that an infected person may have touched.
Final Thoughts
COVID-19 is still new and, therefore, we need time before we can understand it. The best thing to do is to avoid social interactions where possible, in addition to practising basic hygiene. While locking yourself up in the house is not easy, there are lots of things you can do to make it worthwhile. You may want to start reading, take an online course, or even try your hand at an online casino like จีคลับ.