What is the corona virus? What are the symptoms of this virus?
Corona virus has different types and some of them cause disease. A recently identified coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has caused a worldwide pandemic of respiratory disease, called COVID-19. The new SARS-CoV-2 is most closely related to a group of SARS-CoVs found in humans, bats, pangolins, and finches. Even though there are many similarities between the new COVID-19 and the virus that caused the SARS epidemic, there are also differences as a result of changes in their genomes. This includes how they are transmitted from one person to another and the different symptoms of corona viruses. Early reports suggest that the new coronavirus is more contagious than the virus that caused SARS, but is less likely to cause severe illness.
Lauren Sauer, MS, Director of Critical Events Operations at Johns Hopkins, Director of Research and the Johns Hopkins Biocontrol Unit, shares information about COVID-19 and what everyone needs to know.
How does the corona virus spread?
Researchers know that the new coronavirus is spread through droplets that are released into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Droplets generally do not travel more than a few centimeters and fall to the ground (or on surfaces) within seconds, so physical distance is effective in preventing its spread.
How did the corona virus spread to humans?
COVID-19 appeared in December 2019 in Wuhan, a city in China. Although health officials are still tracking the exact source of the coronavirus, initial hypotheses think it may be linked to a seafood market in Wuhan, China. People who visited this market got viral pneumonia caused by corona virus. A study conducted on January 25, 2020 states: The person with the first reported case became ill on December 1, 2019 and has no connection to the seafood market. Research on the origin and spread of this virus continues.
What is the incubation period of COVID-19?
Symptoms appear to appear within 14 days of people being exposed to the virus.
How is COVID-19 diagnosed?
Corona can only be diagnosed by physical examination, and in mild cases of COVID-19, it may appear like the flu or a bad cold.
How is COVID-19 treated?
There is no specific treatment for the virus. People who develop COVID-19 should be treated with supportive measures, and for more severe cases there may be additional treatment options, including therapeutic drugs.
Does COVID-19 cause death?
As of November 13, 2020, 1,295,403 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19. However, 34,229,510 people have recovered from the disease. This information comes from the Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases Map, produced by theJohns HopkinsCenter for Systems Science and Engineering.
Is this corona virus different from SARS?
SARS stands for severe acute respiratory syndrome. In 2003, the SARS outbreak began in China and spread to other countries before the end of 2004. The virus that causes the outbreak of COVID-19 is the same virus that caused the SARS outbreak in 2003. Both are types of corona virus. Much is still unknown, but COVID-19 appears to be spreading faster than SARS in 2003 and may also cause more severe disease.
About the corona virus:
- Corona virus is common in different animals.
- There are different corona viruses. Some of them can cause colds or other mild respiratory diseases (nose, throat, lungs).
- Different coronaviruses can cause more serious illnesses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).
- Corona viruses are named because of their appearance: Under the microscope, viruses appear to be covered with spiky structures that surround them like a crest or crown.
