Coronavirus is a family of viruses that have some sort of animal origin and can cause severe acute dysfunctional ties in humans. According to WHO (World Health Organization), the virus that has been currently causing a global pandemic is mainly being transmitted by humans to humans. The SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) has been introduced to the population mostly from civet cats which are often considered to be a culinary treat to the Chinese population. The MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) was brought about in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, as a result of people often consuming camel products like milk and meat raw, under cooked or unpasteurized. It is mainly the unhealthy practices of us humans that have led to the spread and culture of rare virus families that otherwise would not have come in contact with the human population.
The Coronavirus has been named appropriately as under an electron microscope the virus looks like a halo or a solar crown which directly translates to Corona in Latin. The virus is being called the “Novel Coronavirus” as it is a fairly new strain that had previously never been detected in humans and thus all the panic. As the strain was unknown to the human body for all this time, there is no vaccine out for it yet and hence the uncurbed fear surrounding it.
The Two Major Types of the Novel Coronavirus:
Evolution, if unchecked can be revolutionizing. The disease-causing strain of the Coronavirus had been analyzed with global efforts, and on observing 103 genomes, it is found to have evolved. There are two types of the Coronavirus currently at play, the dormant S type and the super active L type.
The sample, 30% of it was the S type Coronavirus that is the older generation. The S type takes longer to replicate and is less transmissible. The rest 70% was the L type Coronavirus that is the evolved and more resilient generation. The L type not only had the majority but was suggestive of it being sturdier as it had more number of replications and naturally a greater number of derived mutations. The mutations have mainly come from hosts like bats bearing the RATG13 and pangolins.
What are the symptoms of a COVID-19 infection?
The Novel Coronavirus has taken over the globe in a union of “fear of the unknown”.
Coronavirus symptoms can be the same as a common cold or flu. The symptoms include higher body temperature, frequent and exerting sneezes, cough and a sore throat, runny nose and drowsiness within 14 days of incubation. In the case of asthma patients, the severity of the disease takes shape as dyspnea, and wheezing worsen.
Avoiding the COVID-19:
As of right now, a cure hasn’t been marketed as the research of the same is still underway. Unlike the rhinovirus that causes the common cold, the Novel Coronavirus is still mostly unknown to human medication as of 2020. Scientists are trying their best but are unable to replicate a culture of the strain in their laboratory, thus restricting the genesis of vaccines or medicines. Therefore a cure for it is still not out, but preventive measures are very much in play as the governments have already started preaching basic wellness practices to the masses like –
• Getting proper rest and undisturbed sleep
• Evading overexertion and taking it easy on your body
• Keeping a check on the preparedness of the throat and hydrating yourself with water or electrolytes from time to time.
• Wearing a face mask so as to contain sneezing or coughing out loud in the public and vice versa.
The Coronavirus is supposed to affect people that have poor immunity, and so these practices might as well boost our immune system.
Where has the Coronavirus spread to currently?
Unlike most other diseases, the Novel Coronavirus induced COVID-19 was not centralized around the place it originated. Due to globalization, access to technology, information and transport have become unrestricted. Thus the spread of the COVID-19 remained unchecked even after all the safety precautions taken by the governments. The Novel Coronavirus is a strain that had originated in Wuhan, Central China which was a safe-haven for illegal wildlife trade. It is said to have either come into human contact through bats, snakes or pangolins, which have been trafficked for both food and medicinal practices.
The Novel Coronavirus has been spreading rapidly and with no effective cure has travelled worldwide except for the continent of Antarctica. There have been a total of 110034 cases worldwide, with over 80000 cases originating in China. South Korea and Italy are battling head to head in the count of COVID-19 affected, being a host of 7382 and 7375 cases respectively followed by a staggering number of 6566 cases in Iran.
Germany and France follow up with 1040 and 1209 cases respectively. Adding up to the numbers are 673 in Spain, 547 in the United States, 502 in Japan and 337 in Switzerland. There are a few other cases around the world that nearly add up to 700 but none as severe as the ones above. There have been reports of a more aggressively infectious strain of Coronavirus going rampant in Wuhan and getting more centralized due to the lock down measures at the capital by the government.
Measures being taken by countries to Control further spreading of the Coronavirus:
The Chinese government has temporarily sealed off Wuhan to prevent further spreading on the L type mutated Coronavirus. Travel restrictions have also been placed on major cities across the world. Around 1 million people in Italy have been subjected to this inconvenience as the government has halted flights and other modes of transport for localizing the spread. Several cities of China have turned into ghost towns as the people are afraid to move out of their house as panic has taken over. The rumoured Coronavirus vaccine is supposed to be arriving at 2021 by the joint efforts of all of humanity’s best and brightest.