The novel (new) Coronavirus – 2019 nCoV – What You Need to Know

Occasionally, animal viruses including coronaviruses such as SARS nCoV and MERS nCoV can infect people and then spread from person to person.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause diseases in humans, ranging from the common cold to severe respiratory illness.

These viruses are commonly found in several different types of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats.

 SARS Coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), was first identified in 2003. It is thought to be an animal virus from an as-yet-uncertain animal reservoir, perhaps bats, that spread to other animals (civet cats) and first infected humans in the Guangdong province of southern China in 2002. The SARS epidemic affected 26 countries and resulted in more than 8000 cases in 2003.

MERS is also a viral respiratory illness caused by another Coronavirus (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus, or MERS‐CoV that was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. MERS-CoV has been reported in 27 countries since 2012, with about 80% of human cases reported in Saudi Arabia.

The current outbreak of novel (new) coronavirus named (2019-nCoV)  was first reported from Wuhan, China, on 31 December 2019.

About fourteen thousand, six hundred people have been confirmed as infected so far, with about two hundred and sixty deaths, as at the beginning of February 2020. It has been identified in 24 countries so far with the vast majority of cases occuring in China. 

Initially many of the patients affected by this respiratory illness were linked to a large seafood and live animal market in Wuhan, suggesting animal-to-person spread. Later, a growing number of patients reportedly were not found have exposure to any animal markets, hence indicating a person-to-person spread.

During previous epidemics  due to other Coronavirus (Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), human-to-human transmission occurred through droplets, contact and more rarely, through other objects or materials which are likely to carry infection, such as clothes, utensils, and furniture, suggesting that the mode of transmission of 2019-nCoV can be similar.

What precautions should you take ?

The basic principles to reduce the general risk of transmission of acute respiratory infections include the following:

1.  Protect yourself and others from getting sick. Wash your hands after coughing or sneezing, when caring for the sick – in order to prevent spread of infection, before preparing a meal, after using the toilet and after handling animals.
2. Frequently clean hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. If your hands are visibly dirty, wash with soap and running water.
3.   When coughing and sneezing cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue – throw tissue away immediately and wash hands if possible or use a good alcohol based hand sanitizer.
4. When in Church, avoid waving used handkerchiefs. If you feel the need to wave a handkerchief then ensure that you keep a separate clean handkerchief for this purpose.
5.   Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever and cough.
6. As much as possible,  avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth when in public, in order to further minimize the risk of transferring infection from your hands to your face.
7.   If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing seek medical care early and share previous travel history with your health care provider;
8.   When visiting live markets in areas currently experiencing cases of the novel Coronavirus, avoid direct unprotected contact with live animals and surfaces that are in contact with animals;
9.   The consumption of raw or undercooked animal products should be avoided.
10.  Raw meat, milk or animal organs should be handled with care, to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked foods, as per good food safety practices.
11.   For the moment avoid travel to parts of the world where the epidemic has been identified.

            2019-nCoV – THE FACTS

1. Antibiotics are for bacterial infections, they do not work against viruses. However patients may be given antibiotics in the event of co-infection 
2. People of all ages are at risk. However those who have an existing medical condition such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic lung diseases are especially vulnerable and tend to have more severe symptoms.
3. There is currently no specific recommended medicine for the treatment or prevention of  2019-nCoV.  Those infected are currently given general supportive care, some may need intensive care with respiratory support.
4. The main mode of transmission, based on currently available data, is from patients who have symptoms of the disease.
5. There have been reported instances of possible transmission of 2019-nCoV from infected people before they developed symptoms. Research is going on to better understand how transmission may have occurred in these few instances.
6. Transmission from an asymptomatic person (a person who shows no signs of illness) has historically been very rare with other coronaviruses, as seen with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus. So, transmission from persons who don’t have any  symptoms is probably not a major driver of transmission in this epidemic.
7.  Persons who are symptomatic will spread the virus more readily through coughing and sneezing.
8.   Some specific treatments and possible vaccines for 2019-nCoV are currently being investigated and will hopefully be tested through clinical trials. The World Health Organisation together with a range of partners is spearheading international research in this effort.

By Worthy Bro Dr Henry Awuviri, Assistant Supreme Physician