The announcement yesterday by South Africa’s Ministry of Health that a confirmed case of the Novel coronavirus – COVID-19 – has everyone concerned. Particularly those in KwaZulu-Natal where the first confirmed case is understood to exist.
This global epidemic has everyone concerned but, in times of global crises, it’s best to be armed with the facts at hand.
Here is a quick breakdown of what you need to know about the coronavirus.
What is a global emergency?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) determines when an illness is considered a global emergency, and this is decided by a number of factors, including mortality rates, global distribution and the need to co-ordinate global resources to address the spread.
WHO classified coronavirus as a global health emergency on 30 January, after the first human-to-human transmission outside of China was confirmed.
Since 2005, there have been five global health emergencies including:
• Swine flu in 2009
• Polio in 2014
• Ebola in 2014
• Zika in 2016
• Ebola in 2019
Where did the virus originate?
Although the origin of the virus has not yet been confirmed, it is believed that it emanated from infected animal species traded at a market in the Chinese town of Wuhan.
Wildlife is illegally traded here and it’s believed the virus might have come from pangolin meat – used in Asia for consumption and medical treatments. Consideration is also being given to bats or snakes as the source of the virus.
What exactly is the coronavirus?
Rather than just one virus, a coronavirus is considered to be a family of viruses that cause different illnesses, ranging from the common cold through to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) or the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).
These virus types are transmitted from animals to humans, with the most recent coronavirus – the Novel coronavirus – named COVID-19.
What can be done to stop the spread?
As it stands, the best defence against the spread of COVID-19 is hygiene.
As this is a virus, antibiotics will not assist in recovery, however a vaccine is being developed although this will take some time before it’s available for mass distribution.
Chinese authorities have sealed off Wuhan and placed travel restrictions to affected cities, with many airlines cancelling flights to China.
Guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) include:
• Scrubbing hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.
• Maintaining a social distance of at least a metre from anyone coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.
• Follow good respiratory hygiene.
• Stay home or seek medical attention if you feel unwell.
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