Coronavirus in USA: Case updates

Coronavirus is a type of zoonotic virus and can affect both animals and human beings. In December 2019, the first Coronavirus outbreak was reported in Wuhan, China. On 7th January 2020, Chinese health authorities declared that the outbreak of the respiratory condition had an association with a novel coronavirus, 2019-nCoV. The disease has now spread to over 215 countries with 171,033,299 confirmed cases.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease symptoms include fatigue, fever, general malaise, and dry cough. But apart from these general symptoms of coronavirus infection, other symptoms are individual patient-specific. Some Coronavirus-affected patients have complaints of body ache, nasal congestion, sore throat, runny nose, and diarrhea. All these symptoms do not appear simultaneously, but at the initial stage, the mild symptoms appear, and gradually the condition become worsens. It can take up to 14 days for symptoms to appear.

What are the Preventive Measures to Reduce the Spread of Coronavirus from person to person?

As the disease is spreading the preventive measures are very important. According to WHO, one should follow preventive measures

1. Avoid air travel unless an emergency.
2. Avoid public gathering.
3. Hand Washing using the correct 20-seconds technique.
4. Use of hand Sanitizers
5. Maintain 1m or 3ft distance between yourself and a person who is sneezing or coughing.
6. Stay home if you are not feeling well and contact your doctor.

WHO recommendations for people who have recently visited (last 14 days) or had exposure to areas where Coronavirus is spreading.

1. If any symptoms of cough, headache, fever, runny nose: Self isolate by staying at home
2. Avoid contact with others to reduce transmission.
3. Use face masks if needed
4. Call your doctor to inform you about your symptoms and your travel/exposure. They can direct you to the testing facility.

Who Should be Tested for Coronavirus?

People who have respiratory symptoms like cough, fever and live in areas where Coronavirus cases have been detected. According to CDC, any person who have had close contact with a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patient within 14 days of symptom onset, or a history of travel from affected geographic areas(see below) within 14 days of symptom onset.