Jahnavi Sarma
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Jahnavi Sarma | Published : January 28, 2020 6:09 PM IST
Since it is not a bacterial infection, antibiotics do not work. For fever, you can take a paracetamol. @Shutterstock
The Wuhan virus is quickly morphing into a global health crisis with more and more cases coming up in regions as diverse as Australia to Japan to the United Sates and Europe. In China, this disease has already claimed the lives of 106 people and infected more than 4,500. China has imposed a lockdown on 20 cities that affects around 56 million people. There is currently no vaccine available for this disease.
The World Health Organization says that 'coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).' Transmission of these viruses happened from animals to humans. The spread of SARS can be traced to civet cats and MERS came from camels. The present Wuhan virus had its origin in the seafood market of Wuhan. From here, it quickly spread to humans. In a matter of a few days, this virus mutated, and this made human to human transmission possible.
The World Health Organisation says that symptoms of this disease include common symptoms seen in pneumonia. Be alert to signs of fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. This virus affects the lungs. However, patients have no symptoms of a sore throat. In severe cases, this disease can lead to pneumonia and severe acute respiratory syndrome.
There is no medication that specifically targets this disease. Prevention is the only option here. Isolation of a patient is of utmost importance. Since it is not a bacterial infection, antibiotics do not work. For fever, you can take a paracetamol. Doctors can only treat the symptoms and not the root cause of the disease. In this case, there is nothing much that doctors can do. It is only management of the disease and the patient may need life support. In the end stages, the Wuhan virus causes kidney failure and even death. But there may be hopes for a cure soon. Experts across the world are scrambling to find a vaccine for the Wuhan virus at the earliest.
