The COVID-19 pandemic has caused thousands of deaths and infected cases worldwide since its outbreak in Wuhan, China.
The Coronavirus has been spreading rampantly since and has affected India with its first reported case on 30th January 2020 in Kerala. Today, more than three hundred thousand cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India alone.
People need to be educated about what Coronavirus is and how to stay safe during the pandemic. Anyone showing signs of Coronavirus must rush to Corona testing centers immediately.
What is COVID-19/Coronavirus?
Coronavirus is not a single, but family of different respiratory viruses. The name has been given due to the crown-like spikes on their surface. The virus has shown to affect animals and humans alike. It is highly contagious and quickly spreads from one human to another through contact.
What makes the virus so dangerous is their ability to mutate quickly and acquire new characteristics. Coronavirus has shown to cause diseases like the common cold and life-threatening pneumonitis/lower respiratory tract infections in people with lower immunity.
The COVID 19 testing centers across the world have reported a variety of symptoms that range from mild flu-like symptoms to life-threatening respiratory tract infections. The most severe diseases are the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
COVID-19 is the official name that has been given to the novel coronavirus disease, under commonly agreed guidelines between the World Health Organization for Animal Health, and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN.
Signs & symptoms of Coronavirus
The symptoms of COVID-19 may appear anywhere between 2-14 days after exposure to the virus and may vary in severity based on the immunity of the individual.
· The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are tiredness, dry cough and fever.
· A few patients show signs of aches and pains, nasal congestion, sore throat, runny nose, or diarrhea. At first, the symptoms are mild and begin to get severe gradually.
· Loss of smell (anosmia) or loss of taste (ageusia) preceding the onset of respiratory symptoms have also been reported
· Some people get infected by the virus but do not show any symptoms and do not get sick. However, anyone with even mild symptoms must visit COVID 19 virus test centres and have themselves diagnosed.
· About 80% of patients recover from the virus without needing special treatment.
· One in every six people infected by the virus becomes seriously ill and face difficulty breathing.
· Coronavirus tests reveal that older people and people with underlying medical conditions such as heart conditions, diabetes, or high blood pressure are at a higher risk of having severe illness.
· The common symptoms between the earlier coronaviruses and COVID-19 are fever, dyspnea, dry cough, and bilateral ground-glass opacities on chest CT scans.
· One of the characteristic features of COVID-19 is that it targets the lower airway tract with URI symptoms. Chest radiography during corona testing shows that the virus also infiltrates the upper lobe of the lung, and there is increased dyspnea with hypoxemia in some cases.
· Compared to patients with MERS-CoV or SARS-CoV, many COVID-19 patients experienced gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea.
Testing for COVID-19
There are two test kits for checking whether a patient is COVID-19 positive or not.
1. Rapid Antibody-Based Test Kit
§ Needs blood samples of patients.
§ The kit is not available at drugstores.
§ Only licensed and well-trained health workers can perform the test.
§ The test is conducted only in hospitals and licensed healthcare facilities.
§ Checks for virus-resistant antibodies and is meant for patients who show symptoms after 5th to 21st day.
§ Results are given in 15 minutes, but the patient needs to undergo the RT-PCR test if the COVID-19 result is not confirmed.
2. RT-PCR Test Kit
· The test needs nose and throat swab samples.
· Not available at drugstores.
· The kit is not available at drugstores.
· Only licensed and well-trained health workers can perform the test.
· The test is done in specialized laboratories.
· Test results arrive within 24 to 48 hours.
· Checks for viruses.
· The test kit checks for patients with or without symptoms.
· If the result is positive then it is confirmed COVID-19 case, but if negative, then it is not a COVID-19 case.
Is COVID-19 fatal?
The mortality rate among patients who tested positive is approximately 1.4% to 2%, while many infected people remain asymptomatic. Mild symptoms persist non-tested, and a wide spectrum of the severe disease requires a diagnosis of pneumonia.
Coronavirus tests have reported that clinical consequences of COVID-19 are usually similar to that of severe seasonal influenza.
Prevention
· Sanitize hands before eating meals and before touching eyes, nose, or mouth.
· Avoid making any physical contact with anyone, especially people showing symptoms such as cough, sneezing, or fever.
· Anyone who exhibits respiratory symptoms must wear a mask.
· Maintain respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette.
· Avoid eating food from outside and eat well-cooked food that is prepared hygienically.
· Avoid travelling to places where there are many animals, such as farms or areas where animals are slaughtered.
· Refrain from unnecessary travel.
Worsening symptoms
The symptoms of COVID-19 can get worse at any time. It may happen gradually or rapidly, depending on the individual case. Examples of worsening symptoms may include a sudden rise in body temperature, severe cough, and suffocation.
When to rush for coronavirus test?
People whose symptoms seem to get worse must immediately rush to an emergency service. One must know about a corona testing center and follow up with them whenever necessary.
You can search on Google as coronavirus test near me India, and you will get to know about the medical testing centers in proximity. Immediately call the operator and tell her that you have COVID-19 symptoms.
You must rush to a doctor if you show the following symptoms:
· Difficulty in breathing
· Persistent pressure or pain in the chest area.
· A bluish tinge to face or lips.
· Feeling confused or unable to wake up.
The average recovery time for most patients with a mild case of COVID-19 is around two weeks. People with a severe condition or critical disease take around 3 to 6 weeks to recover.
People with COVID-19 symptoms must self-isolate and call for emergency services as soon as they experience symptoms since procrastinating will only make matters worse. Follow the doctor’s guidance immediately and do not try to self-medicate since your measures will only make things worse.
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