The new coronavirus (COVID-19) is spreading fast and has created a panic amongst people. More than 167,500 people are known to be infected, and more than 6,600 deaths have been recorded worldwide. With new cases being recorded each day outside China, and the virus is being spreading across the world.
Experts have been warning for years that the world is overdue for a major disease outbreak, the novel coronavirus seems to be one such example.
With number of cases on the rise in the country, panic is spreading fast among the citizens. And, since, the symptoms of the virus is similar to that of common cold, people with even a slightest cough or sneeze are rushing to the nearest hospital or general physicians.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the main symptoms of the coronavirus usually include: Dry cough, temperature, tiredness and shortness of breath (in more severe cases). The WHO also added that some patients may have also have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea.
Shedding more light on the symptoms, Anup Kumar Yadav, Director of National Health Mission — Maharashtra, says the virus spreads in stages and doctors distinguish and treat patients according to risk factors. Simplifying the categories, Yadav said:
Category A is high risk passengers from these seven countries who suffer from high fever, breathless, cough, or a person with acute respiratory illness in close contact with Covid-19 case. They have to be immediately isolated.
Category B is medium risk, which includes senior citizens who are asymptomatic, have hypertension, diabetes or asthma and have visited these seven countries – China, South Korea, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Iran. A category B patient have to be moved to quarantine facility for testing.
And the last is a category C patient. A category C patient is low risk passengers who are asymptomatic and they are advised to practice home isolation for 14 days.
“We expect them to remain at home, report to us if any symptoms emerge. They will be immediately quarantined,” Yadav concluded.