Coronavirus outbreak: More than 110,000 infected and 4,027 deaths

Coronavirus is spreading in much higher rate as has been the case. More than 110,000 people have already been infected, causing 4,027 deaths worldwide. It is a novel virus caused by a member of the coronavirus family that causes disease in animals, which recently started affecting humans.

The virus that emerged from the Chinese city of Wuhan in December can cause various respiratory illnesses ranging from the common cold to lung lesions and pneumonia, which can quickly spread from person to person.

Symptoms of new Coronavirus:

Following are the common symptoms of the coronavirus according to the World Health Organization (WHO):

Fever
Dry cough
Shortness of breath
Organ failure (in severe cases only)

Patients infected from the virus may also show other symptoms such as sore throat, diarrhea, runny nose, aches, and pain. The illness can also cause lung lesions and pneumonia, which can be milder that may resemble flu or a bad cold. The symptom's appearance may vary from two days to 24 days after contracting the virus.

How it spreads?

The virus seems to spread from person-to-person very quickly. It appears to spread through the respiratory droplets, which are produced when an infected person sneezes or coughs. These droplets can land on surfaces where people could pick up the virus on their hands and spread further.

How to protect yourself from the virus?

Although there is currently no vaccine or approved antiviral drug to cure the coronavirus, however, there are some tips to protect yourself from being infected from the virus as it is spread through the droplets in the air when coughed or sneezed.

The best thing that can be done to prevent yourself from being infected is to avoid being exposed to the virus. As a reminder, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following measures to help prevent the spread of the disease, such as:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid outdoor activities when you are sick.
Avoid touching your nose, mouth, and eyes.
Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough.
Keep washing your hands with soap or with alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
The facemask should be used primarily by the people who are infected by COVID-19 to prevent the spread of the virus to others