5 Must Know Facts: What is Coronavirus?

Everyone is afraid of Coronavirus (COVID-19). It came out of nowhere and has spread all over the world. We don’t know the complete picture yet but there are certain facts which are important to understand.

1. What is Coronavirus and COVID-19?

Coronavirus is a group of viruses that include mild diseases such as the common cold as well as severe diseases such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and SARs. COVID-19 is the name of the coronavirus outbreak that started in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. It has spread all over the world including Hong Kong, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Iran, the GCC, Thailand, Singapore, India, USA and many more. 

2. What are the known symptoms of Coronavirus?

Like most infection and respiratory illnesses, COVID-19 has symptoms such as:

• Cold
• Coughs or sneezes
• Fever
• Shortness of breath
• Pneumonia
• Breathing difficulties

3. What is Cornavirus Prevention?

Safety is the best form of precaution. With COVID-19 its no different. Washing hands, keeping away from crowded areas and eating cooked food (especially meats and eggs) are easy ways to protect yourself. Avoid touching different objects and refrain from touching your face. If you are feeling sick wear and mask and go see a doctor. Avoid contact with anyone who has been around anyone suffering from COVID-19 or showing symptoms. Ask people around you to keep a check on the symptoms and consult a doctor (first by phone) if you exhibit symptoms. 

Washing hands properly with soap and water is very important. This video demonstrates how to do it:

4. Is Coronavirus fatal?

Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing aggressive treatment. The incubation period is 1-14 days.  Around 16% people who get COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develop difficulty breathing. There have been many deaths around the world due to COVID-19 and the number of deaths is still quickly rising. However, there is a correlation between deaths and people who have other medical conditions.

5. Should I wear a mask?

Wearing a mask may help prevent COVID-19 and most governments now recommend it. However if you do have any symptoms please wear a mask and ask anyone around you to wear a mask so you do not transmit diseases. Keeping a healthy distance from anyone who shows symptom is a smart way to avoid spreading from person to person.

It is important to understand, wearing multiple masks does not help. 

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References:

1. https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019%E2%80%9320_coronavirus_pandemic
3. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html

If you want to learn about 5 Coronavirus Myths read this post.