What are coronaviruses?
Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that predominantly infect animals, but in some cases can be transmitted to humans. Usually, diseases caused by coronaviruses are mild without causing severe symptoms.
However, there are also severe forms such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars).
What are the symptoms of the disease caused by the new coronavirus?
- Feeling tired
- Labored breathing
- Heat
- Cough and/or sore throat
Symptoms are very similar to many respiratory diseases, often mimicking the common cold, and can be similar to the flu.
If you have similar symptoms, consider the following:
- Have you visited other countries in the last two weeks?
- Have you been in contact with someone who has traveled in the past two weeks?
- If the answer to these questions is yes, the symptoms should be treated as carefully as possible.
- How is coronavirus transmitted?
- Like other respiratory viruses, coronavirus spreads through droplets that form when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
It can also spread when someone touches any contaminated surface, such as a doorknob. People become infected when they touch their mouth, nose or eyes with dirty hands.
Initially, the outbreak originated from animals, presumably the source was the seafood market in Wuhan, where there was an active trade not only in fish but also in animals such as marmots, snakes, and bats.
How to protect yourself from infection?
How to wear a medical mask correctly?
Gently cover the nose and mouth with the mask and secure it to reduce the gap between the face and the mask.
Do not touch the mask during use. After touching a used mask, for example to remove it, wash your hands.
After the mask becomes wet or dirty, put on a new clean and dry mask.
Do not reuse disposable masks. They should be thrown away after each use and disposed of immediately after removal.
What can you do at home?
Tell your children about coronavirus prevention.
Explain to the children how germs are spread and why good hand and face hygiene is important.
Make sure everyone in the family has their own towel and remind them not to share toothbrushes and other personal hygiene items. Ventilate the area frequently.
Quarantine rules
Can the new coronavirus be cured?
Yes, sure. However, there is no specific antiviral drug for the new coronavirus - just like there is no specific treatment for most other respiratory viruses that cause colds.
Viral pneumonia, the main and most dangerous complication of coronavirus infection, cannot be treated with antibiotics. If pneumonia develops, treatment is aimed at maintaining lung function.
Who is at risk?
People of all ages are at risk of contracting the virus. The Wuhan Health Commission said in a statement that the 60 most recent cases are between 15 and 88 years old.
However, as with most other viral respiratory diseases, children and people over 65, people with weakened immune systems are at risk of severe disease.
Is there a vaccine for the new coronavirus?
Currently, there is no such vaccine, however, in a number of countries, including in Russia, research organizations of Rospotrebnadzor have already begun its development.
What is the difference between coronavirus and influenza virus?
Coronavirus and influenza virus can have similar symptoms, but they are genetically completely different.
Influenza viruses multiply very quickly - symptoms appear two to three days after infection, and the coronavirus takes up to 14 days to do this.
How to determine if you have a coronavirus?
Timely diagnosis is one of the most important measures when there is a threat of the emergence and spread of a new coronavirus in Russia.
Scientific organizations of Rospotrebnadzor, less than 7 days after the appearance of information on the structure of the genes of the new coronavirus, developed two variants of diagnostic kits for determining the presence of the virus in the human body.
The kits are based on a molecular genetic research method, the so-called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The use of this method gives test systems significant advantages.
The first is high sensitivity - using the developed test systems, it is possible to detect single copies of viruses.
Second, there is no need to take blood to diagnose the disease; it is enough to take a sample from the nasopharynx with a cotton swab. Third, the result of the analysis can be obtained in 2-4 hours.
Rospotrebnadzor diagnostic laboratories throughout Russia have the necessary equipment and specialists to use the developed diagnostic tools.
