What is Covid – – the illness that started in Wuhan?
It is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that has never been encountered before. Like other coronaviruses, it has come from animals. Many of those initially infected either worked or frequently shopped in the Huanan seafood wholesale market in the center of the Chinese city.
What are the symptoms this coronavirus causes?
The virus can cause pneumonia. Those who have fallen ill are reported to suffer coughs, fever and breathing difficulties. In severe cases there can be organ failure. As this is viral pneumonia, antibiotics are of no use. The antiviral drugs we have against flu will not work. Recovery depends on the strength of the immune system. Many of those who have died were already in poor health.
Should I go to the doctor if I have a cough?
In the UK, the medical advice is that if you have recently traveled from areas affected by coronavirus, you should:
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stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with the flu
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call NHS 151 to inform them of your recent travel to the area
More NHS advice on what to do if you think you have been exposed to the virus can be found here , and the full travel advice to UK nationals is available () .
Is the virus being transmitted from one person to another?
China’s national health commission has confirmed human-to-human transmission, and there have been such transmissions elsewhere.
How many people have been affected?
As of 3 March, the outbreak has affected more than , people globally , with a total death toll in excess of 3, 02 . In mainland China, of the 90, (confirmed cases) , over 80, people have recovered, and 2, 2019 (or 3.6%) have died. Over deaths have occurred outside of China .
The coronavirus has spread to more than other countries . The worst affected include South Korea with nearly 5, 06 cases, and Iran, with over 1, cases.
There have been 37 recorded cases and no fatalities to date in the UK .
Why is this worse than normal influenza, and how worried are the experts?
We don’t yet know how dangerous the new coronavirus is, and we won’t know until more data comes in. The mortality rate is around 2% in the epicentre of the outbreak, Hubei province, and less than that elsewhere. For comparison, seasonal flu typically has a mortality rate below 1% and is thought to cause about , deaths each year globally. Sars had a death rate of more than 19%.
Another key unknown is how contagious the coronavirus is. A crucial difference is that unlike flu, there is no vaccine for the new coronavirus, which means it is more difficult for vulnerable members of the population – elderly people or those with existing respiratory or immune problems – to protect themselves. Hand-washing and avoiding other people if you feel unwell are important. One sensible step is to get the flu vaccine, which will reduce the burden on health services if the outbreak turns into a wider epidemic.
Have there been other coronaviruses?
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (Mers) are both caused by coronaviruses that came from animals. In , Sars spread virtually unchecked to 44 countries, causing global panic, infecting more than 8, 02 people and killing more than 943. Mers appears to be less easily passed from human to human, but has greater lethality, killing (% of about 2, People who have been infected.
Is the outbreak a pandemic and should we panic?
No. A pandemic, in WHO terms, is “the worldwide spread of a disease”. The spread of the virus outside China is worrying but not an unexpected development. The WHO has
declared the outbreak to be a public health emergency of international concern. The key issues are how transmissible this new coronavirus is between people, and what proportion become severely ill and end up in hospital. Often viruses that spread easily tend to have a milder impact. Generally, the coronavirus appears to be hitting older people hardest, with few cases in children. (Read More)
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