Stay Safe from Coronavirus Here All You Need to Know

The entire world today is making a curious talk about the recent mystery virus epidemic found in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The coronavirus – the contagious novel virus identified recently can cause respiratory infection in humans and is typically transmitted from human-to-human contact. With the coronavirus epidemic spreading globally, it is high time we understand more about the virus, its symptoms, and the precautionary measures to keep ourselves as well as our community protected from any threat.

What is Coronavirus?

Coronavirus is a family of viruses causing potentially deadly diseases in birds and mammals, including humans. The coronavirus is an RNA-based virus, and its make-up is the longest genome. A single strand of the nucleic acid of coronavirus is roughly 26k to 32k bases long. Coronavirus gets its name from its crown-like protein spikes which resemble the solar corona. These spikes are sugary proteins projecting from the envelope surrounding the virus particle. There are four known genera in coronavirus family – Alpha-coronavirus, Beta-coronavirus, Gamma-coronavirus, and Delta-coronavirus. These Coronaviruses were first identified during the 1960s, but their origin remains still unknown.

Most of the coronavirus infecting humans is said to be transmitted from animals and infected animal products. Out of all coronaviruses, only 7 of the species affect humans. Not all Coronaviruses that affect humans are dangerous, but some are serious, though. Among the wide family of coronavirus, only a few are very lethal to humans. In humans, coronavirus typically spreads through airborne droplets of fluid from infected individuals or animals.

Symptoms of Coronavirus Infection

In humans, coronaviruses are prone to cause infections in the nose, sinuses, or throat. They infect the respiratory system in humans, causing symptoms like cough, sneezing, sore throat, shortness of breath, and other respiratory problems. Different types of coronavirus cause different infections ranging from anything as mild as the common cold to very serious illnesses as in the case of SARS and MERS. Though the effect differs, some coronaviruses have a lethal impact on livestock and human health.

Current Outbreak

A new mysterious coronavirus, named (2019-nCoV) was identified in the central Chinese city of Wuhan at the Hua Nan Seafood Market. While initially the virus was spread from animal to human, there are now more cases being reported, which confirms the spread of coronavirus from person to person through physical and airborne contacts.

On January 13, the coronavirus infection spread beyond China’s borders to other Asian countries, with the first case emerging in Thailand and the next in Japan. Later there were more cases identified in North America, European, and Australian countries. The virus has now arrived in India as well, and the very first case of Coronavirus infection has been reported in Kerala.

So far, around 9800 cases have been confirmed, and over 200 people have already died of this deadly infection. The numbers are on a consistent rise, and because of this, the WHO has declared the coronavirus outbreak as a global health emergency.

How to Protect Yourself from Getting the Coronavirus Infection?

Till now, there is no vaccine found for coronavirus. Hence, the best way to protect yourself is to prevent getting the infection, and this can be done by making sure to maintain good hygiene.

• Always keep your hands clean. Wash your hands thoroughly with an alcohol-based sanitizer or soap and warm water.
• Teach children to keep their hands and fingers away from their eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Make sure to avoid close contact with other people who are infected. Use face masks, if needed, when going outside in public or to other countries.
• Drink plenty of water and take enough rest to make sure your body has healthy immunity levels.

Do not consider cough and cold as common infections these days. Coronavirus is spreading like wildfire, and as such, it is highly recommended to see a doctor as early as possible.

We, at JP International School, a CBSE School in Greater Noida, are highly concerned about the well-being of our pupils, and hence consider it as our responsibility to make the people aware of the infection and how to protect themselves, as well as others from catching the deadly virus. We believe it is extremely important to follow the precautions to keep away from the disease, and if each one of us can spread the word about the vitality of following a healthy, hygienic routine to prevent the disease, we would be together able to save a lot of people from getting the infection.