The novel coronavirus or covid-19 has affected 210 countries in the world and infected 2,414,095 people resulting in 165,153 deaths. According to WHO the first case of coronavirus was identified on 31 Dec 2019 when China reported a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan.

As the cases continued to rise WHO on January 10 issued a comprehensive package of technical guidance online with advice to all countries on how to test, detect and manage potential cases. This came on the backdrop of experience with SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) containing recommendation for droplet and contact preventions as well as airborne precautions for aerosol generating procedures.

However when china shared the genetic sequence of covid-19 as well as the information that human transmission has begun WHO declared that covid-19 is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

What is Coronavirus and how it spreads?

Coronavirus like other viruses causes an infection in your nose, sinuses and upper throat. What makes it deadly is that it can cause a respiratory tract infection by affecting our sinuses, nose, windpipe, throat and lungs. Although research is currently underway on how to treat the coronavirus, vaccines and antiviral drugs which absolutely work are yet to come out.

Most of the time it spreads from a sick person to a perfectly healthy one when they cough or sneeze droplets which can spray up to six feet from them and infect people within the proximity. When people breathe or swallow these droplets they get infected. Moreover, one can also get the virus by touching the surface or object on which the virus is on and then touching your mouth, nose and eyes with the same hand that touched the surface,.

Symptoms of Coronavirus

Covid-19 affects different people in different ways as some of the infected people will develop mild to moderate symptoms without requiring special treatment whereas others mostly people with an underlying medical condition as well as the ones will low immunity may suffer more and even die.

Covid-19 symptoms are classified into two categories namely main and others:

Main symptoms include: Fever, Dry Cough and Fatigue

Other symptoms are: shortness of breath, ongoing chest pain and pressure, sore throat as well as diarrhea in very few cases

When should you see a doctor?

Some people visit the doctor when they have just a runny nose and slight fever which they should not do as their antibodies can help them recover from this in a day or two as healthcare professionals all across the globe are currently under immense pressure to treat people who are severely ill and critical. People with these symptoms should self-quarantine and stay at home as they generally go away in a few days.

People who have fever, dry cough as well as trouble breathing must get tested for coronavirus at their nearest centre as well as must cover themselves with masks and gloves so that they donot come in contact with other people. They must also follow steps like covering their nose and mouth when they cough or sneeze with their elbow as well as stay clear of their family member as they would not want to put their health at risk.