Everything To Know About Coronavirus

Over 1,000 deaths have been reported in the US due to coronavirus and the figures are rising every day. As of 27^th March 20, approx. 92,206 people across every state, plus Washington, D.C., and three U.S. territories, have tested positive for the virus, and at least 1,371 patients have died.

If you don’t know anything about coronavirus or COVID-19, let us help you!

What is coronavirus?

A coronavirus is a common virus causing infection in your nose, sinuses, or upper throat. It is called coronavirus because it looks like a crown under a microscope.

COVID-19

COVID-19 or coronavirus disease causes respiratory tract infection in humans. It can affect your upper respiratory tract (nose, sinuses, and throat) or lower respiratory tract (windpipe and lungs).The COVID-19 outbreak quickly spread through person-to-person contact and can cause infection from mild to serious.

Symptoms of COVID-19

The early symptoms of COVID-19 includes:

Dry cough
Fever
Fatigue

The COVID-19 virus can lead to various health issues such as respiratory failure, pneumonia, septic shock, and death. If you or anyone in your family is experiencing the following symptoms, seek medical attention immediately:

Ongoing pain or pressure in the chest
Shortness of breath or trouble in breathing
Can’t wake up
New confusion
Bluish lips or face

The symptoms can take 2-14 days to show up. It depends from person to person.

The most common symptoms and the percentage of people who have them include:

Fever: 88%
Dry cough: 68%
Fatigue: 38%
Coughing up thick phlegm, or sputum, from the lungs: 33%
Breath shortness: 19%
Pain in bones or joints: 15%
Sore throat: 14%
Headache: 14%
Chills: 11%
Nausea or vomiting: 5%
Stuffy nose: 5%
Diarrhea: 4%
Coughing up blood: 1%
Swollen eyes: 1%

How do you know it’s a cold, COVID-19, or just flu?

Runny nose, watery eyes, and headache might seem like you’re under the attack of COVID-19, but it might not be a case. All of these symptoms can be a sign of flu or cold.

You might have COVID-19 if you experience:

Fever and breathing problems and have traveled to places where the virus has spread.
You’ve been in contact with a person infected with the virus in the last 14 days.

How Coronavirus Spreads?

COVID-19 mainly spreads from person to person. It spreads when a sick person sneezes or coughs. Sneeze and cough droplets can travel as far as 6 feet away. The other person who breathes or swallow those droplets get the virus in its body.

You can get infected by touching a surface or object with the virus and then touching your nose, mouth, or eyes with your infected hands. This virus can live for several hours on a surface that they land on. Coronavirus can last for several hours on various surfaces:

Cardboard up to 24 hours

Copper: 4 hours
Stainless steel or plastic: 2 to 3 days

That’s why it’s important to disinfect surfaces to get rid of the virus.

How fast it COVID-19 is spreading?

The COVID-19 cases are increasing rapidly with each passing day, till now. You can check the live updates here!

How to prevent the COVID-19 spread?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, follow these tips to avoid the spread of COVID-19:

Wash your hands – Sanitize your hands with alcohol-based sanitizer or wash your hands properly with soap and water.
Don’t touch your mouth, face, and eyes – As coronavirus can sustain for several hours on various surfaces, if you get the virus on your hand by touching infected surface, resulting in getting infected.
Practice self-quarantine – There is a possibility that you might have the virus and you can spread it to others without even knowing it. So try to stay home as much as possible. If in case, you need to go out to buy essentials, try to stay at least 6 feet away from others.
Clean and disinfect – Use a mix of household bleach and water or household cleaner approved to treat SARS-CoV-2 to clean your household surfaces and objects.

Do you need to wear a mask to prevent COVID-19?

You don’t need to wear a mask unless your doctor recommends you. You’ll need it

if you’re exposed to SARS-CoV-2 or have COVID-19
if you’re a health care worker or taking care of a person who has it

Is there any vaccine to treat COVID-19?

There is no vaccine available to treat COVID-19 yet. However, clinical trials are going on in the US and China to test vaccines for SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19.

As there is no specific treatment for COVID-19, people with mild symptoms need to take fluids, rest, and over-the-counter medicines for sore throat, cough, and fever. You also need to keep in mind that antibiotics won’t help you because antibiotics are used to treat bacteria, not viruses.

What to do if you’ve COVID-19?

If you’ve got a travel history and think you’ve COVID-19, take these steps immediately:

Contact your health care provider – You need to seek medical attention immediately to treat your symptoms. Call and schedule an appointment with your doctor. Don’t just show up without an appointment as it may increase the risk of spreading the virus. However, if you don’t have a regular doctor, call your local board of health.
Stay at home – If you’re not well, stay at home as much as possible. Limit your access to other members of your family as well as your pets. Stay away from others even if you’ve mild symptoms like headache or runny nose.
Follow your doctor’s advice – Make sure to follow your doctor’s advice. Don’t take any medicine without your doctor’s approval.

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