The Deathly Details Behind The Coronavirus
Coronavirus is a large family of viruses that can cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to severe respiratory diseases. This virus can be transmitted from animals to humans. The anatomy of this virus entails an enveloped, single-stranded RNA virus, meaning that its genome contains a strand of RNA, so each viral particle is wrapped in a protein “envelope.” Viruses essentially invade a cell and co-opt some of its components to create more replications of themselves, which soon infect other cells. RNA replication usually lacks the error-correction mechanisms that cells utilize when copying DNA. As such, RNA viruses are bound to make mistakes during replication. Coronaviruses have the longest genomes of any RNA virus — consisting of 30,000 nitrogenous bases. The more information a pathogen copies, the more likely a mistake is to occur. The consequence is that these viruses mutate very rapidly. A coronavirus particle contains four structural proteins: the envelope, nucleocapsid, spike, and membrane.
There are numerous coronaviruses known to be circulating in diverse animal populations that have not yet infected humans. In 2019, a new coronavirus was established as the cause of a disease outbreak that originated in Wuhan, China. Many experts believe that the new strain of coronavirus likely originated in bats or pangolins. Today, a new coronavirus has emerged, endangering the lives of individuals all over the world leading to countless people dying day by day. Common signs and symptoms are similar to the common cold and respiratory symptoms, such as fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. In severity, however, this infection can potentially instigate such complications — pneumonia, kidney failure, severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, and death. A laboratory test can confirm the diagnosis. This infection can be spread from one person to another through droplets produced from the respiratory system of infected individuals, often through sneezing or coughing. When people with the coronavirus breathe out or cough, they expel small droplets that contain the virus. These droplets can enter the nose or mouth of someone without the virus, causing them to get the infection. The most common way this infection can spread is through close contact with someone who has this infection, being within approximately 6 feet. The disease is most contagious when one’s symptoms are at peak, but it is still possible for asymptomatic people to be contagious as well. Medical News Today claims that a new study proves that 1o% of infections are from people displaying no symptoms at all. Moreover, droplets containing the virus can also land on objects or surfaces in proximity. If people touch these surfaces or objects, they could be prone to catching the virus. According to research, time from exposure to the outbreak of symptoms is usually between two to fourteen days, averaging about five days. If someone touches their nose, eyes, or mouth, infection is more likely to arise. Research is still being conducted to explore the depths of the coronavirus as this is new.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has been unforeseen, leading to death in some cases. This can spread more in certain areas such as highly populated cities. The risk is higher for anyone in close contact with people who have COVID-19, such as healthcare workers. Those most at risk of severe illness are older adults and people with chronic health conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart or lung disease, or diabetes. Today, finding effective ways to put an end to this devastating virus and prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 remains a global challenge. According to Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering, as of Apr. 10, 2020, 96,787 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19. However, 361,377 people have recovered from the illness.
The best way to prevent the virus from spreading is by avoiding close contact with people with COVID-19 and washing the hands regularly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend washing hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. This is particularly significant after being in public places. When soap is not at reach, hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can be used. When coughing or sneezing, always cover the mouth and nose. Face masks are normally obligatory for people who have the virus. Anyone who has regular contact with people with COVID-19 should also wear a face mask, such as health-care professionals. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine to cure this yet, but scientists are still trying to figure out an appropriate method to effectively treat this virus.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, April 13). Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) — Transmission. Retrieved April 20, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fprepare%2Ftransmission.html
World Health Organization: WHO. (2020, January 10). Coronavirus. Retrieved April 20, 2020, from https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1+
By. (2020, April 20). US coronavirus update: Latest on cases, deaths, the lockdown, and more. Retrieved April 20, 2020, from https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/us-coronavirus-update-04-20-20/index.html
