Coronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID-19?

Coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a special kind of virus called SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2). Coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 is also called as-

Novel coronavirus pneumonia
Or

Wuhan pneumonia
Or

2019-nCov acute respiratory disease

Let's have an overview:

• Type of disease- infectious disease

• Cause- SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus-2)

Microscopic view of  SARS-CoV-2
(Source: google wikipedia)

• First identified- in December 2019 in Wuhan (the capital of China's Hubei province)

• Symptoms- fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue

• Other symptoms- muscle pain, sputum production, diarrhoea, sore throat, loss of smell, abdominal pain

• Severe conditions- pneumonia, multi-organ failure

• Most affected organ- lungs

• Transmission (spread through)- close contact, respiratory droplets produced while coughing and sneezing, touching a contaminated surface and then face

• Incubation period- 5-6 days (may range between 2-14 days)

• Diagnostic methods- chest CT scan, rRT-PCR testing (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction testing)

• Treatment- symptomatic and supportive

• Medicine- not yet discovered (as reported till March, 2020)

• Prevention- frequent hand washing, physical distancing (about 6 feet or 1.80 meters), quarantine

• Coronavirus outbreak 2019-20 was declared as a PHEIC (Public Health Emergency of International Concern) by WHO (World Health Organisation)- on January 30, 2020

• Coronavirus outbreak 2019-20 was declared as a pandemic by WHO- on March 11, 2020

Should everyone wear a mask in coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 outbreak?

According to the WHO, the use of masks is recommended only-

• if a person is coughing or sneezing, or

• when one is taking care of someone with a suspected infection.

However, some countries, including China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Czech Republic, Austria etc., also recommended healthy individuals to wear masks. Thus, it can be concluded that everyone need not to wear a mask, but it is better to wear a mask to remain protected from infection.

How to use a mask?

Masks are effective only when used properly. So, it becomes very necessary to know how to wear it, use it, take off it and dispose it properly.

• Before putting on(wearing) a mask, hands must be cleaned with alcohol based hand rub (sanitizer) or soap and water.

• Mouth and nose should be covered completely ensuring that there are no gaps between the face and the mask.

• The mask must not be touched while using it. If it is done, hands must be cleaned with alcohol based hand rub (sanitizer) or soap and water.

• The mask should be replaced with a new one as soon as it is damp.

• If the mask is a single-use mask, it must not be reused.

• To remove the mask, it must be removed from behind (without touching the front of the mask).

• If the removed mask is a single-use mask, it must be discarded immediately in a closed bin.

• After removal of the mask, hands must be cleaned with alcohol based hand rub (sanitizer) or soap and water.

(Source: GOOGLE WIKIPEDIA and WHO Report)