What You Need to Know about COVID-19? (Novel Coronavirus)

When 2020 entered, we all thought it was finally gonna be “our year.” Little did we know back then that the first cases of pneumonia reported in China on December 31 would turn to a full-blown novel coronavirus outbreak.

Officially named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO), it is a respiratory tract disease that causes an infection in your nose, sinuses, upper throat, windpipe, and lungs. It is considered as one of the seven types of coronavirus, which includes past virus outbreaks such as sudden acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

To learn more about the coronavirus, I made this guide which contains basic information regarding COVID-19 such as origin, symptoms, transmission, and prevention among many others.

The Basic Facts About COVID-19

Origin of the Novel Coronavirus

According to WHO, COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a recently discovered coronavirus. Health officials refer to this new virus as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Most experts believed that COVID-19 came from animals, like the link between MERS and SARS. This is due to the fact that SARS-CoV-2 has ties to snakes, bats, and pangolins. 

In fact, many people who got the disease early were linked to a large live seafood and animal market in Wuhan, China. With that said, it is not fully understood where exactly COVID-19 originated.

How Does the Novel Coronavirus Spread

The first cases of COVID-19 may have come from eating exotic animals (bats and pangolins) sold in a wet market. However, the novel coronavirus now mainly spreads from person to person.

When an infected individual coughs or sneezes, he or she can then pass on droplets of novel coronavirus to other people as far as 6 feet away.

People can also get COVID-19 when they touch a surface where the virus is on, then touch their mouths, noses, or eyes. 

Most viruses can live for several hours (or days!) on an object that they land on:

  • Plastic or stainless steel – 2 to 3 days
  • Cardboard – up to 24 hours
  • Copper – 4 hours

Signs and Symptoms of COVID-19

Early symptoms of COVID-19 include dry cough, fever, and fatigue. 

More serious symptoms are shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing, chest pain or pressure, bluish appearance, confusion, and trouble waking up.

When not given prompt medical attention, COVID-19 can lead to pneumonia, respiratory failure, septic shock, and death.

How Can You Prevent the Spread of the Novel Coronavirus

Fortunately, there are several ways to prevent the ongoing spread of COVID-19.

    • Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for atleast 2 minutes.
    • If handwashing is not an option, use an alcohol-based sanitizer to temporarily clean your hands. Remember to wash your hands as soon as you’re able to.
    • Practice social distancing. You should stay home as much as possible but if you do have to go out, stay at least 6 feet away from others. 

 

  • Avoid touching your face. If you touch surfaces with COVID-19 then touch your nose, mouth, or eyes, the virus can easily get into your body.
  • Clean and disinfect your environment. Regularly disinfect surfaces you touch often (doorknobs, light switches, tables, toilets, faucets, and sinks) by using a mix of household bleach and water.

 

Is There a Treatment for COVID-19

There’s no particular treatment for COVID-19. 

If you have a mild case of COVID-19, you need to ease your symptoms by taking care of yourself through rest, fluids, and fever control. You can also take over-the-counter medicine for a sore throat, body aches, and fever.

For those with severe symptoms of COVID-19, you need to be cared for in the hospital.

Famous People Who Were Diagnosed with COVID-19

Anyone around the world can get COVID-19 and famous people (whether they’re an actor, singer, or a politician) are no exceptions.

  • Tom Hanks (American actor)
  • Idris Elba (English actor)
  • Sophie Grégoire Trudeau (wife of Canada’s current Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau)
  • Rudy Gobert (NBA player from Utah Jazz)
  • Albert II, Prince of Monaco
  • Charles, Prince of Wales and the heir apparent to the British throne
  • Boris Johnson (United Kiingdom’s current Prime Minister)
  • Andy Cohen (American radio and talk show host)
  • Juan Miguel Zubiri (Filipino senator)
  • Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III (Filipino senator)
  • Christopher De Leon (Filipino actor)
  • Iza Calzado (Filipino actress)
  • Sylvia Sanches (Filipino actress)

While the majority of these people are either self-isolating or getting better, there are other popular figures who died because of COVID-19.

  • Steven Dick (deputy head of mission at the British Embassy in Budapest)
  • Floyd Cardoz (celebrity chef and winner of US show Top Chef Masters)
  • Manu Dibango (Cameroonian Afro-jazz legendary musician)
  • Antonio Vieira Monteiro (the chairman of the Portuguese unit of Santander, Spain’s largest bank)
  • Ken Shimura (Japanese comedian)
  • Terrence McNally (American playwright)

Hopefully, this basic guide about COVID-19 opened your eyes to what exactly is this respiratory disease and how it continues to impact the whole world. Stay safe, mga mamshies!

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