Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : March 7, 2020 12:38 PM IST
About 80% of patients recover from the disease without needing special treatment.
As coronavirus scare gripped the country, many questions about the COVID-19 might be lingering on your mind. Here in this article we have tried to answer some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the deadly disease. The answers are based on the information given by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and some public health experts from around the world.
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, they cause diseases ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). There are already six known types of coronaviruses. The nCoV-2019 or COVID-19 is the latest one and number seventh. This new virus emerged in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.
The most common symptoms of the novel coronavirus include fever, dry cough, tightness of the chest and shortness of breath. Some patients may also experience aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhoea. Usually these symptoms are mild and begin gradually. However, some infected people many not develop any symptoms and feel sick.
About 80% of patients recover from the disease without needing special treatment. 1 out of every 6 infected people becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing.
Older adults and people with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are at greater risk of developing serious illness. If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention.
Coronavirus is spread through small droplets released from the nose or mouth of the infected person during coughing or sneezing. You may then catch COVID-19 if you breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19. These droplets may also land on objects and surfaces around the infected person. You may catch the virus if you touch these objects or surfaces, and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
The WHO says the risk of catching COVID-19 from the faeces of an infected person is low.
So far, there's no evidence or reports of COVID-19 transmission through food. As the mode of infection is primarily respiratory, the chance of getting COVID-19 from food is extremely low, says an expert. Even if the coronavirus is present in your food, it will be destroyed with proper cooking.
Antibiotics work on bacterial infections, but not against viruses. As COVID-19 is caused by a virus, antibiotics won't help.
