The
Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Health and other
relevant agencies, has alerted the public over the outbreak of a new
virus from China called Coronavirus or 2019-nCoV. Here is everything you
need to know about the new coronavirus in Nigeria to keep yourself and
family members safe.
2020
began with the news of a new type of coronavirus making rounds on the
Nigerian cyberspace. Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook,
Whatsapp and so on were on fire with the news. Ever since, local and
international news websites has consistently talked about it.
While
many have given in to fear and are already scared of leaving their
homes, here are the facts about the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) you
should know. The signs, symptoms, treatment and preventive measures are
fully explained in this article.
Facts About The Deadly Coronavirus (2019-Ncov)
2019-nCoV
is a new type of coronavirus identified first in Wuhan City, China.
According to the report published by the Health Commission of Hubei
Province where the virus was first discovered, about 41 persons infected
with the virus have died.
Reports
from BBC, New York Times and several other reliable sources, confirm
that about 1,300 persons have already been infected with it in China.
Cases of the infection has also been confirmed in other countries like
the United States of America, France, Australia, Japan and about 6 other
Asian countries.
Now
while 2019-nCoV is a new kind of virus, it belonged to a large family
of viruses that has been in existent for long. That is, coronaviruses.
Coronaviruses cause respiratory disease. For example Common Cold, Pneumonia etc. According to the American Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the symptoms of the infection can go from mild to severe.
These
viruses are usually carried by animals such as bats, cats and camel.
They rarely jump from these animals to human or get transmitted from one
human to another. However, the same cannot be said of the new corona
virus. It is easily transmitted from individual to another through
various means.
Where Did The New Coronavirus Come From? What Is The Origin
Since
almost all the coronaviruses originate from different animals, it is
hard to figure out the exact animal the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
originated from. However, researchers from China are claiming it most
likely came from snakes.
While
the idea of a coronavirus coming from snakes may not make sense to the
average person out there, the activities around Wuhan City, Hubei
Province, China, gives a little validation to that point. By activities
in Wuhan here, I mean the animal and seafood market alongside the
zoological activities in the area.
How 2019-nCoV Is Transmitted Among Humans
The
new coronavirus is highly infectious and dangerous. Though the primary
method it spreads is from animals to humans, it can also hop from an
infected person to others.
The virus spreads among humans mainly in 4 ways:
- By air (through inhaling contaminated air i.e after an infected person must have coughed or sneezed)
- Close contact with an infected person (e.g touching, holding hands etc)
- Touching contaminated surfaces with your bare hands or touching your eyes, nose and mouth with contaminated objects.
- Contaminated faecal matter (this rarely happens though)
Symptoms Of 2019-nCoV Coronavirus To Watch Out For
Studies
are presently going on in China, Japan, USA, Thailand and several
places around the world to know the full details of the new coronavirus.
Including the symptoms.
However,
since all coronaviruses cause respiratory problems, the symptoms are
closely related. Due to the fact that investigations are still ongoing
about this virus, the symptoms listed here may not be all there is to
the infection. We will keep updating this page with the latest findings
from scientists around the world.
The following are some of the symptoms that have been noticed among persons infected with the virus:
1. Fever
2. Shortness of breath
3. Cough and other lower respiratory problems.
How Is 2019-nCoV Treated?
Presently,
there is no known medical cure for the new coronavirus (2019n-nCoV).
Scientists are still working on developing the cure. For other type of
coronaviruses, most people often recover from the infections on their
own. Without any medical treatment.
While
the cure for the new coronavirus is being developed, researchers
recommend adequate rest, enough fluids and a balanced diet to help the
victims.
Let’s
hope that the scientists at the United States National Institutes of
Health who are already working on the 2019-nCoV cure get done with it as
soon as possible.
The
goodnews is they are not the only ones working on developing the cure.
According to NBC News, Regeneron, the renown drugs manufacturing
company, is already working on it too. Hopefully, that will be out any
moment from now.
Efforts Being Made To Stop The Spread Of The Virus Globally
As
of this moment, various government and non-government agencies are
working tirelessly to ensure that the spread of the virus is completely
stopped. in China for instance, the movement of people to and fro Wuhan
has been greatly limited. This is to ensure that those already infected
with the coronavirus do not leave the city to spread it further.
In
Nigeria, people coming into the country from China (especially those
who visited Wuhan), are carefully tested to ensure that no infected
person is allowed to freely roam about the country. If a person is
discovered to be carrying the coronavirus, he is isolated in a safe
centre where treatments and further tests can be conducted on him.
Is The New Coronavirus In Nigeria Already?
Presently,
the answer is no. There has never been any case of the coronavirus
reported by the Federal Ministry of Health or other related bodies in
Nigeria. We hope it remains so. As a matter of fact, the FG alongside
several health organisation, is working seriously to prevent this.
However,
though there has never been any case of the new coronavirus disease
reported in Nigeria, members of the public are encouraged to learn from
reliable sources about the virus and the infection to avoid giving in to
anxiety unnecessarily.
I hope you find this information useful. Kindly share it now with a friend or family member. You may be saving a life that way.
Post a Comment