What parents need to know about the coronavirus

With more coronavirus cases being reported globally, South African parents may have started wondering if they should be concerned about the new virus and how they can prevent their children and themselves from contracting it.

Here is what you need to know.

What is the coronavirus?

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines the Novel Coronavirus as a respiratory virus that was identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.

What are the symptoms of the virus?

Common symptoms include:

-Fever
-Cough
-Difficulty breathing

How can my child get it?

There hasn’t been any concrete evidence to support the source of the virus, but the general assumption is that it came from a live animal.

Can it pass from person to person?

Yes. The CDC states that the virus can be contracted from breathing it in from the air, from close contact with a person, like a handshake, and touching your mouth after being infected with an infected surface.

How can I prevent my child from contracting it?

Make sure your child is following good hygiene practices by washing their hands regularly, especially after they’ve been in contact with ill people.

For older kids, alert them of these precautions and make sure they are practising them.

The department of health has set some guidelines for citizens as precautionary measures. Avoiding contact with people with acute respiratory infections is one of these. People are also advised to not attend markets that trade in live animals.

Also, ensure that you or your family do not travel to Wuhan any time soon.

Have there been cases reported in SA?

The global number of deaths reported from the virus currently sits at 106. There are currently no reports in SA. According to Ministry of Health Spokesperson, Popo Moja: “So far, there are no suspected cases reported. Port health professionals routinely conduct temperature screening for all international travellers.”

According to Live Science, countries that have reported cases of the virus include Thailand, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United States, Australia, France, and Taiwan.

What is the SA government doing to prevent its spread in the country?

The Chinese Embassy in Pretoria has expressed that “friends from South Africa are requested not to go to Wuhan for the time being, and South African friends in Wuhan now should not leave the city or return to SA at this moment”.

Maja is also assuring people that the government is doing what it can to “detect, manage and contain any cases of the virus should it reach the country”.

The health department is also advising travel agencies to pass the information to travellers.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.