2020 – Posted in: RSTV – Tags: China, Corona Virus, Corona Virus Disease, covid19, Ebola, India, MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome), SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), wuhan

CORONA VIRUS

Introduction

Recently, a new virus belonging to the Coronavirus family (now called the new coronavirus 2019-nCoV) has killed more than 200 people in China and the number of infected has affected 10,000 confirmed cases. As the epidemic continues to spread outside of China, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a public health emergency of international concern (global emergency).

As part of the global emergency, all countries must be prepared for containment, including active surveillance, early detection, isolation and case management, contact tracing and prevention of the spread of the disease infection by 2019-nCoV, and share comprehensive data with WHO.

What is the new corona virus 2019-nCoV?

Normally, the corona virus is a large family of viruses that are often the cause of respiratory infections, including the common cold.
Most viruses are common in animals, but sometimes an animal-borne corona virus mutates and successfully finds a human host.
According to the World Health Organization, in previous epidemics due to other corona viruses, person-to-person transmission has occurred through droplets or objects in contact, suggesting that the mode of transmission 2019-nCoV can be the same.
Antibiotics do not work against such viral pneumonia and there is no vaccine against them.
Even more important is the new understanding that the virus is contagious even during incubation, that is, even before the patient has symptoms. This function enhances transmissibility.

New 2019-nCoV corona virus: a human-made disaster

The relationship between zoonotic pathogens, those of animal origin, and global pandemics is not new. In the past five years alone, the world has faced epidemics of dreaded viruses such as Ebola, MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome), SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and now the new corona virus.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around one billion cases of disease and millions of deaths from zoonoses worldwide occur every year, that is, naturally transmitted diseases and infections by vertebrates and animals.
About 60% of emerging infectious diseases worldwide are zoonoses. Of more than 30 new human pathogens detected in the past three decades, 75% came from animals.
According to the WHO, where there is a close mixture of humans and animals, especially the unregulated handling of blood and other bodily products, as occurs, for example, in animal markets in China, there are greater possibilities of transmitting an animal virus to humans, and their mutation to adapt to the human body.
Animal markets are breeding grounds because there is a pathogen-free exchange between species and mutations.

Transmission

Human corona viruses are most often transmitted from an infected person to others by:

the air while coughing and sneezing
close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
touch an object or surface with the virus, then touch your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands
rarely faecal contamination

Symptoms of the new virus include:

Fever
Cough
Muscle pain
Tiredness
Breathing difficulties
May cause pneumonia (infection of one or both lungs)
Can be deadly

After a slow start in an infected body, the disease spreads quickly during the second week.

The hypoxemia caused by the intensification of the lung lesion leads to breathing difficulties and the need for oxygen therapy.

Another common complication seen is ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome).

Other complications include acute kidney damage, septic shock, and virus-induced heart damage.

The incubation period of the virus varies from 2 to 14 days.

The incubation period is the time that begins from exposure to the virus until symptoms appear.

During the incubation period, the Wuhan virus is contagious.

Other human corona viruses

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a serious respiratory disease that mainly affects the upper respiratory tract. It causes fever, cough and shortness of breath. About 30% of people who have contracted this disease have died. Some people have only mild symptoms.
MERS is caused by the Corona virus of the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV). It was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012, and then spread to many countries. Most cases have been transmitted by people who have travelled to countries in the Middle East

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a severe form of pneumonia. Infection with the SARS virus causes acute respiratory distress (severe respiratory distress) and, sometimes, death.
Expand section SARS is caused by a member of the corona virus family (the same family that can cause colds). The 2003 epidemic is believed to have started when the virus spread from small mammals to China

Global impact of the (Corona Virus) epidemic on China’s economic activities

An article published in 2017 by economists Victoria Fan, Dean Jamison and Lawrence Summers estimated that the expected annual losses due to the risk of pandemic amount to approximately 500 billion dollars, or 0.6% of world income per year, which represents both the loss of income as an intrinsic cost of high mortality.
Wuhan, which was the center of the epidemic, is a large industrial center, a regional center, important equipment in the automobile industry and a magnet for foreign companies.
The epidemic has caused economic activity in China to stagnate. It has also affected economic activities around the world.
GDP growth in the first quarter of 2020 could be around 5% and the possibility of falling below 5% cannot be excluded, according to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Some analysts have warned that the worst-case scenario could lead to an economic contraction.
Most industries in China closed during the two weeks around the Lunar New Year. The blockade in the country prevents business travel, as well as the movement of goods and workers.
The time of the Lunar New Year is usually when most of the economic activity increases in China.
There is a growing concern for integrated international supply chains.
Closing a business in China also affects economic activities worldwide. Economists believe that perhaps 0.3 percentage points could be affected by global growth.
Bangladesh derives 85% of its foreign exchange earnings from the clothing and apparel industry. However, they import the fabric from China.

Wuhan Corona virus – Indian Context

The first case of new corona virus in India has been confirmed in Kerala; the patient is a student at Wuhan University on January 30, 2020. She had returned to her hometown.
Two other cases from the same state of Kerala have been confirmed.
The state government of Kerala has declared a “state calamity”.
On March 3, 2020, two new cases were detected in Delhi and telangana. Both patients are said to be stable.
As of March 5, 2020, with more than 23 confirmed cases in the country, the total number of infections in India increased to 29, including 14 Italian tourists.
The Union’s Minister of Health has told Parliament that 28,529 people are being watched.
Government authorities have taken numerous steps to prevent further spread of the virus.
Travel advisories are being revised as new updates on the corona virus are confirmed.
Anyone with a travel history in China since January 15 could be quarantined.
The government also issued a warning to travelers to China and urged people to refrain from visiting the country.
Electronic visa facilities have been blocked for Chinese citizens at this time. The electronic visa already issued will also be invalid.

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