Saswati Sarkar
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Written By: Saswati Sarkar | Updated : May 18, 2020 4:55 PM IST
Masks can reduce the growth rate of coronavirus infection by 40%, according to a new study.
The novel coronavirus, which emerged at the end of December last year, has wreaked havoc on us infecting 4.5 million people and killing above 3 lakh, all over the world. In India, the total number of COVID-19 (the infection that this virus triggers) causes is 96169 and the death toll is 3,029. While these numbers are alarming for sure, what is more worrying is the ever-changing behaviour of the novel coronavirus. Since the time it surfaced, this deadly virus has baffled patients and doctors alike with its new and unexplained ways in terms of manifestations, complications and even transmission. So far, we knew that the novel coronavirus can spread from person to person when an infected person coughs or sneezes generating droplets in the air. Now, a new research suggests that this virus can be transmitted via droplets emitted by an infected person while speaking.
A recent study, published in the journal Proceedings of National Academy Of Sciences, observes that the novel coronavirus can spread through talking. According to the findings of this research, the droplets emitted by a COVID-19 positive person while speaking can infect others in confined spaces. The oral fluids of infected people and asymptomatic ones are heavily loaded with the novel coronavirus, finds the study. This finding suggests that the risk of COVID-19 transmission is high from normal conversations in in enclosed spaces. According the estimate of researchers, 1000 virus-loaded droplets can remain suspended in the air if a COVID-19 patient speaks loudly for a minute. They can remain airborne for more than 8 minutes. These droplets remain in the air for this long because they dehydrate due to evaporation and shrink in size.
According to the evidences found so far, COVID-19 infection spreads mainly from human to human. However, there are several ways this person-to-person transmission can take place. Here is a low-down on them.
While coughing or sneezing, a COVID-19 positive patient emits virus-loaded droplets into the air. You can get infected by this pathogen if these droplets sneak into your lungs. The chance of this kind of transmission is high if you are within 6 feet of the infected person.
The novel coronavirus has been found to sustain on certain surfaces for long. Research shows that it can survive on steel or plastic surfaces for as long as two to three days. You can catch the virus if you touch a contaminated surface with your hands and then put them on your eyes, nose or mouth. Disinfect the frequently touched surfaces of your home and wash your hands frequently. Maintaining hand hygiene is all the more crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some evidences suggest that particles of the novel coronavirus can be found in stool, of an infected person. However, scientists are of the opinion that more research is required to find out if the infection can spread from the poop. A study published in the journal JAMA suggests that virus-loaded feces can contaminate toilet bowls and bathroom sinks.
A China-based research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has observed that the novel coronavirus can be present in the semen of infected men. The research was conducted on 38 COVID-19 positive men. Out of them, this virus was found in 6 COVID-19 infected men. This opens up the possibility of sexual transmission of this infection. Researchers are on their way to find out the concentration and duration of the novel coronavirus in semen.
