Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that can cause flu-like illness in animals or humans that can even lead to death. Coronaviruses like Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) have been known to cause respiratory infections in humans when they came into existence in 2012 in Saudi Arabia and in 2002 in the Guangdong province, China respectively. Covid-19 is yet another coronavirus which recently came into headlines for causing serious health and economic downtime across the globe.

The virus got originated from Wuhan, China where it was first identified on 7^th January 2020. Within no time the virus started to infect the outer mainland China more than the inside. Currently, the COVID-19 virus has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization.

As on 23^rd March, 343,394 coronavirus cases have come positive out of which 14,733 deaths have been confirmed. Italy and China, both medically well-equipped countries, have reported 81,093 and 59,138 coronavirus affected cases respectively. India, as of now, reports 425 plus coronavirus affected cases including 8 deaths. There are comparatively less critical care hospitals in India as compared to Italy and China which definitely is an alarming issue that definitely needs to be addressed in order to save more lives. Moreover, the US has reported 35,070 infected cases whereas Spain and Germany stand at 29,909 and 26,159 cases respectively.

Symptoms to keep in check

Symptoms of COVID-19 resemble general influenza. Therefore, if you show the following symptoms, make sure to get yourself checked before it gets too late:

• Tiredness/fatigue
• Dry-cough
• Fever
• Sore-throat
• Diarrhoea
• Nasal-congestion

The good news is that about 80% of the COVID-19 infected people recover from the disease without needing any special treatment. However, it can get extremely severe for older people, and those with underlying medical conditions like high blood pressure, heart issues, diabetes or respiratory illnesses.

It is advisable to seek instant medical attention if the above-mentioned symptoms persist for more than 2 days.

Precautionary measures you can take to fight COVID-19 hard:

‘Prevention is better than cure’ – rings a bell? Now is the best time to put it to practice. WHO, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Indian Medical Association and local medical authorities are various credible sources for all kinds of information about this pandemic. It is extremely important to not fall for myths related to this virus and act responsibly.

Below are a few precautionary measures, also suggested by WHO, that must be followed to avoid being infected with COVID-19:

• Clean your hands regularly with an alcohol-based hand-rub/sanitizer or wash them with germs-disinfectant soap and water. These are easily available on any general and medical stores.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• You are suggested to make at least 1-metre distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing near you.
• Stay home if you suspect fever or any other symptom for an elongated period and call for medical assistance at the earliest.
• Stay updated on the directions issued by the national and local health authorities and follow them diligently.
• Avoid travelling unless really urgent.
• Keep a watch on latest COVID-19 hotspots (areas where COVID-19 is spreading rapidly).

Social Distancing

Italy began with 400 new coronavirus cases and double-digit deaths. The countrymen were advised to lead their lives normally and a mistake was made. Within 10 days, the toll had hit 5,883 infections and 233 deaths due to the novel coronavirus.

On 22^nd March, India, proactively summoned a ‘Janta Curfew’ which was a measure to promote social distancing by bringing to halt every commercial and non-commercial activity pan nation. Social distancing aims at reducing interaction between people in order to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Adherence to the below-mentioned ‘social distancing guidelines’ must be ensured:

• Avoid contact with a person displaying symptoms of COVID-19.
• Unless really important, avoid using public transport.
• Avoid large or small gatherings in public or private spaces.
• Use technology – video conferencing, VOIP, Emails, internet, etc. for communication.

With the number of cases rising around the globe, it is bound for countries to witness an extreme shortage in terms of medical offerings. The medical structure of India, with a population index so high, if mismanaged, may face difficulties in offering appropriate medical assistance to those infected. It is also advisable to keep in check the best emergency hospitals including Care Hospitals in your vicinity for easy accessibility if required.

COVID-19 has been declared a world-emergency and we, as responsible beings, shall abide by the guidelines and directions issued by the relevant authorities and shall together strive to bring down the spread of this horrific disease.

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