Viruses are type of tiny microorganism, although they’re smaller than bacteria. Like bacteria, they’re very diverse, and have a variety of shapes and features.
Viruses are parasitic. That means they require living cells or tissue in which to grow. Viruses can invade the cells of your body, using the components of your cells to grow and multiply. Some viruses even kill host cells as part of their life cycle. Some common viral infections are : Influenza, common, viral, chickenpox, measles, viral meningitis, warts, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV),viral hepatitis, Zika virus ,West Nile virus. To protect against some of the viral infections are to get vaccinated. Vaccine-preventable diseases include: measles, influenza, tetanus, whooping cough, chicken pox etc. Corona virus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered corona virus. Corona viruses represent a large family of viruses that elicit respiratory illness in humans, including the common cold and more serious diseases, such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). This group of viruses can also infect animals and are zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted between animals and humans, as was shown to be the case for MERS and SARS. In fact, some species of animals, such as bats, act as reservoirs for carrying wide varieties of viruses, and severe viral outbreaks in the human population such as for SARS and MERS tend to occur when these viruses jump from animals to humans when given the opportunity due to close interaction. The novel corona virus (currently referred to as 2019-nCoV) was first detected in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Older people and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness. The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
At
this time, there are no specific vaccines or treatments for COVID-19. However,
there are many ongoing clinical trials evaluating potential treatments. WHO
will continue to provide updated information as soon as clinical findings
become available?
WHO Recommendations
for Basic Protection Measures Against the New Corona Virus
As
of 26 March 2020 (8:00 PM), according to the Ministry of Health
& Family Welfare (MoHFW), a total of 694 COVID-19 cases (647 Indians and 47 foreign
nationals) have been reported in 27 states/union territories. These include 44
who have been cured/discharged, 1 who has migrated and 16 reported
deaths. Hospital isolation of all confirmed cases, tracing and home quarantine
of the contacts is ongoing.
On
24 March 2020, the Prime
Minister announced a
21-day nationwide lockdown: “In order to protect the country, and each of its
citizens, from midnight tonight, a complete ban is being imposed on people from
stepping out of their homes.”
Most
people who become infected experience mild illness and recover, but it can be
more severe for others. Take care of your health and protect others by doing
the following:
Regularly
and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them
with soap and water.
Washing
your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that
may be on your hands.
Maintain
at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing
or sneezing.
When
someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or
mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the
droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.
Hands
touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer
the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your
body and can make you sick.
Make
sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This
means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you
cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.
Droplets
spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people
around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.
Stay
home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing,
seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local
health authority.
National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infections.
Read More:- https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
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