The Coronavirus is a recent virus outbreak that has shaken the world based on the unprecedented speed of transmission. The virus, which is still under investigation is manifested through a wide range of signs and symptoms. Although coronaviruses were first discovered in the early 1960s, the virus was not common among human beings as it was discovered in chicken. The recent outbreak of the virus has affected humans, which is an aspect that resulted in the virus being an epidemic. Considering the unprecedented speed of transmission of the disease, most people are at a high risk of contracting the virus. Understanding the risk factors associated with the virus is one of the most important measures that help in preventing the widespread of the virus. The diagnosis procedure of the virus involves a series of tests that seek to rule out other forms of viral infections and identify the links of the coronavirus.
How and Where the Virus Started
The outbreak of the coronavirus was detected in late 2019 in a food market in Wuhan, China. The rate of transmission of the virus caused an alarm considering that most people were infected with the virus thus increasing the risk factors of the virus. Considering that the Coronaviruses are zoonotic, the first cases of the virus involved a transmission between animals and humans. However, the subsequent transmissions of the virus were among people where it circulated from the infected people. Since the discovery of the virus in the 1960s, the virus mainly circulated among animals and it was rare among humans. Hui, Azhar, Madani, Ntoumi, Kock, Dar, and Zumla (2020) argues that despite originating from China, the outbreak of the virus continues to cause global panic since the rate of transmission is alarming. As of 20 th February, approximately 80,000 cases of the virus have been confirmed in different provinces in China, and within other parts of Asia and Europe.
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Signs and Symptoms
Although doctors and health professionals continue to learn new things regarding the manifestation of the virus, some common signs and symptoms are noticeable upon contracting the virus. The most common symptoms of the virus include shortness of breath and a severe cold that worsen with time. Another common symptom of the virus includes a low-grade fever, which is characterized by a gradual increase in body temperature. The severity of the given signs and symptoms indicates that an individual may have the virus or is at risk of contracting the virus (Thompson, 2020). Considering that corona disease is a viral infection, the signs and symptoms of the condition are like those of other viral infections such as the influenza (flu) virus. The similarities in the signs and symptoms create the need for seeking proper healthcare services to undergo a proper diagnosis.
Risk Factors
The main risk factor of the coronavirus involves exposure to someone who is already carrying the virus. The virus is transmitted through saliva and other bodily fluids, which means that being in contact with an infected person increases the chance of getting the virus. In that case, any form of contact such as sexual intercourse with an infected person may result in the transmission of the virus. Another major risk factor of the virus involves traveling to the affected region, which in this case is China. Considering that the virus outbreak started in China, there is a high risk of contracting the virus upon traveling to China and other affected regions. Lastly, having a weak immune system may increase the risk of contracting the disease considering that it is a viral infection, which may face resistance from a strong immune system.
Prevention
The preventive measures implemented to overcome the spread of the virus focus on limiting and avoiding contact with infected persons. The first preventive measure involves the isolation of people who present signs and symptoms associated with the virus and those that have traveled to China recently. The second measures involve maintaining proper hygiene to help in preventing the spread of viruses. The hygiene measures involve washing hands with soap and warm water, avoiding touching the eyes, nose, or mouth with dirty hands, and covering the mouth when coughing or sneezing. Another preventive measure involves seeking healthcare services in a situation where one feels sick. Symptoms associated with cold and flu must not be ignored considering that they may be an indication of an underlying severe viral infection.
Treatment
The coronavirus has no defined cure considering that there is no approved cure for any viral infection. However, there are treatment options that focus on managing the signs and symptoms associated with the virus. Du Toit (2020) maintains that the main treatment recommended for patients with the virus includes antiviral or retroviral medications, which help in boosting the immune system of a patient to enable the body in the process of fighting the infection. Other treatment options provided to the patients include the use of steroids and blood plasma transfusions to enable the patient to overcome the symptoms associated with the coronavirus. Majority of the treatment options provided for the coronavirus focus on preventing further complications associated with the coronavirus and enabling the patients to gradually overcome the viral infection. However, studies on the cure for the coronavirus are still underway to help in obtaining a permanent solution for the virus.
References
Du Toit, A. (2020). Outbreak of a novel coronavirus. Nature Reviews Microbiology , 1-1.
Hui, D. S., I Azhar, E., Madani, T. A., Ntoumi, F., Kock, R., Dar, O., ... & Zumla, A. (2020). The continuing 2019-nCoV epidemic threat of novel coronaviruses to global health—The latest 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China. International Journal of Infectious Diseases , 91 , 264-266.
Thompson, R. N. (2020). Novel Coronavirus Outbreak in Wuhan, China, 2020: Intense Surveillance Is Vital for Preventing Sustained Transmission in New Locations. Journal of Clinical Medicine , 9 (2), 498.
