Throughout human history, the records of new diseases have been reported from time to time and have been known to affect the quality as well as longevity of life in mankind history. These deadly outbreaks have continuously been associated with high numbers of avoidable deaths and continue to pose a threat to mankind in all parts of the word. Additionally, most viral outbreaks are known to be transmitted from one person to the other, a feature that causes panic among people due to the negative economic and social impact it imposes on the entire world. However, doctors all over the world join hands in the fight against the outbreaks to secure a vaccine and medicine for the virus. This act reduces the chances of succumbing to the infection and improves public confidence. Currently, the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak is an excellent example of an infection threat to humanity. Therefore, it is crucial to know about the diseases as well as symptoms to educate the society about the outbreak.
History of the Virus
Although different controversies and reports indicated that the virus started in China earlier than it was reported, it is still unclear exactly when the virus was discovered in Wuhan, China. However, Nawrat (2020) indicates that China reported the Coronavirus outbreak on December 31, 2019, as a case that presented similar symptoms as for pneumonia but the cause was still unknown. The World Health Organization (WHO)'s branch in China traced the virus from Wuhan in Hubei province. As time went by, more cases of the viral infection started spreading to other continents across the world. The National Health Commission of China began to isolate the symptoms which resembled those of fever as well as flu and identified the virus as a novel coronavirus, currently known as covid-19 ( Raoult et al., 2020). According to Nawrat (2020), a collection of microorganisms that are known to affect the respiratory tract and cause illnesses in addition to the regular cold but more severe are what are called coronaviruses. The current coronavirus that is almost affecting every country in the world is known to be more severe to infants, the elderly, as well as the people who are already suffering from other chronic diseases or with the weak or compromised immune system ( Nawrat, 2020). The virus is also linked to SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory) and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreaks.
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Epidemiology
As of December 2019, the first few cases of coronavirus, which seemed like the regular flu, were linked and traced to have originated in Wuhan City among the local seafood market or popularly known as the Wet Market. However, more and more research is still being conducted all over the world to identify how covid-19 is spread and severity as well as other complications associated with the virus. On the contrary, those first cases recorded in Wuhan China were highly linked with coming into contact with the seafood market and also pointed to the fact that the disease is easily transmittable through contact or inhaling droplets in the air ( Rothan, & Byrareddy, 2020). In other words, close contact of human-to-human is the primary source of transmitting the disease. These claims were proved from the fact that more cases of the virus continued to be reported in other parts with people who had not come into direct contact with the Wuhan seafood market or a recent visit to Wuhan in general. Currently, the disease is in all parts of the world, already causing severe damages to the people and economy at large.
The Most Affected (Age Group, Ethnic group)
According to Begley (2020), coronavirus is not an equal-opportunity killer since it seems to be choosy in terms of death and severity. In other words, the effect the virus has on people vary with age, health, and ethnicity. However, it is essential to note that the disease affects people of all ages, and therefore, it is essential to take precautions at all times ( Begley, 2020). It has been confirmed that the elderly and the young are at higher risk of being vulnerable to the disease and thus should be kept safe at all times. On the other hand, being ill from other illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease puts one at an increased risk of dying from the virus and hence advised to be more cautious.
How it is Spread
Following a report released by the WHO (2020), it is confirmed that coronavirus is a virus that affects the lung system interfering with the normal breathing system. The affected respiratory system creates room for excessive coughing and sneezing, which releases saliva droplets from the nose and mouth, which makes it spread from one person to another (WHO, 2020). Thus, people have been advised to cough into their handkerchief or coughing into a flexed elbow to prevent open-air coughing or sneezing, which releases droplets in the air. Additionally, COVID-19 also spreads faster when one comes into contact with a surface that has droplets or mucus of an infected person, which affects them when they touch their wet opening areas ( Adhikari et al., 2020). Therefore people are advised to always maintain their hands free from contamination by cleaning them using running water and soap or with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Signs and Symptoms
The fact that makes this outbreak more worrying to many people is that it has signs and symptoms that are equally similar to those of the regular flu and fever. The symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath and difficulties, as well as dry throat. These make spotting of the disease more difficult since people are known to develop normal flu from time to time. The CDC also added that the symptoms are known to show at the duration of between two to 14 days after being exposed to the virus (WHO, 2020). Therefore, those who suspect to be developing the above symptoms are advised to present themselves to the nearest health facility for proper diagnosis.
Treatment/Prognosis
Currently, no specific vaccines or even treatments for coronavirus have been found yet. On the bright side, physicians and scientists all over the world are going on with countless clinical trials with the aim of evaluating potential treatments (WHO, 2020). Thus, the WHO has sworn to stand on the frontline to provide updated information as soon as available.
Conclusion
Coronavirus has not ended yet, and no cure has been found. Thus people are advised to keep on adhering to the safety measures provided by WHO and other health organizations around the world. Additionally, people who have recent travels from most affected countries are advised to quarantine themselves for 14 days or report to the nearest hospital if the case is severe. Washing hands and wearing a nose mask at all times, and avoiding social gatherings is still highly recommended to stop the rapid spread of the virus.
References
Adhikari, S. P., Meng, S., Wu, Y. J., Mao, Y. P., Ye, R. X., Wang, Q. Z., ... & Zhou, H. (2020). Epidemiology, causes, clinical manifestation and diagnosis, prevention, and control of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during the early outbreak period: a scoping review. Infectious diseases of poverty, 9 (1), 1-12.
Begley, S. (2020). Who is getting sick, and how sick? A breakdown of coronavirus risk by demographic factors. Stat News . https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/03/who-is-getting-sick-and-how-sick-a-breakdown-of-coronavirus-risk-by-demographic-factors/
Nawrat, A. (2020). Coronavirus outbreak: the story so far. Verdict Media Limited . https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/features/coronavirus-outbreak-responding-china-wuhan/
Raoult, D., Zumla, A., Locatelli, F., Ippolito, G., & Kroemer, G. (2020). Coronavirus infections: Epidemiological, clinical, and immunological features, and hypotheses. Cell Stress, 4 (4), 66-75. https://doi.org/10.15698/cst2020.04.216
Rothan, H. A., & Byrareddy, S. N. (2020). The epidemiology and pathogenesis of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. Journal of Autoimmunity, 102433.
WHO. (2020). Coronavirus. World Health Organization . https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#
