Wuhan's coronavirus has killed at least 213 people and keeps more than 9,700 infected, according to the National Health Commission of China, which numbers 1,370 the number of patients in serious condition and 124 who have exceeded the illness. Although most cases have been registered in the capital of Hubei Province, the focus of the infection, other major cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin and Guangdong have decreed the highest health emergency and even the outbreak has exceeded the giant's borders. Asian.
There are already eight cities in the affected region surrounded by the Chinese Government to contain the spread of the virus, which in total keeps more than 40 million people confined. Outside of mainland China, there are 10 cases in Hong Kong, eight in Taiwan and seven in Macao. In Thailand, 14 cases have been confirmed; in Japan 11 and in Singapore 10. Also, seven others have been detected in Australia; five in the United States and France; four in South Korea, Germany and the United Arab Emirates; two in Italy, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Canada; and one in Cambodia, Nepal, Finland, India and Sri Lanka.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared on Thursday the international emergency due to the rapid increase in patients affected by the coronavirus. "We declare this alert not because of what is happening within China but because of the situation in other countries, and because [the Wuhan coronavirus] could spread to places with weaker health systems," said WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a press conference. The global alert "does not mean that we distrust China: on the contrary, we believe in the full capacity of that country to combat this emergency," said the CEO, who this week traveled to Beijing and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
What is the coronavirus?
Popularly called 'Wuhan virus' in reference to the city where it originated and where most cases are being registered in 2019-nCoV reminds of infections such as the Middle East coronavirus respiratory syndrome (MERS) or acute severe respiratory syndrome ( SARS), which in 2003 led more than 800 people worldwide. These types of epidemics are usually caused by virus from animals that mutate and end up being transmitted to other living things.
An investigation carried out by Chinese scientists suggests that the virus could come from a snake. After locating the germ they have managed to study it to try to determine where it came from and the reasons for its virulence. After comparing it with other known coronaviruses, they soon found that the virus was the mixture of one originating from bats but mixed with another of unknown origin. And that recombination of RNA went to the snakes, as explained in the study published in the 'Journal of Medical Virology'. Although it is not yet known precisely, the coronavirus is transmitted mainly through contact with infected animals or through close contact with the respiratory secretions that are generated with the cough or sneeze of a sick person. On the other hand, the Chinese National Health Commission has just discovered that physical contact is another way of spreading.
Coronavirus symptoms
The World Health Organization (WHO) admits that "not enough is known about 2019-nCoV to draw definitive conclusions about how it is transmitted, the clinical characteristics of the disease or the degree to which it has spread," but it can be look for similarities with other coronavirus strains, which can occur in various ways; from the common cold to acute pneumonia. These are some of the most frequent symptoms among infected patients to date:
- Fever.
- Cough.
- Shortness of breath
- Sore throat.
- Headache.
- Muscle pains.
- Fatigue.
- Nasal congestion.
In more severe cases, which usually occur in elderly people or who suffer from some other disease, the infection can also cause:
- Pneumonia.
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome.
- Renal insufficiency.
Coronavirus treatment
At the moment, there is no cure for coronavirus, but Chinese doctors are working against the clock to develop a vaccine based on past experiences. The Shanghai East Hospital of Tongji University (China) has already announced the urgent approval of a project to produce a joint cure between this medical center and the Stermirna Therapeutics laboratory, but the drug production process is more complex than It seems.
The company's executive director, Li Hangwen, has assured that it will take a maximum of 40 days to manufacture the first samples, which will be based on the new technological generation of messenger RNA (mRNA) and some preliminary procedures. Samples will be sent for testing and taken to the clinics as soon as possible, it has advanced. The vaccine production cycle can last up to five or six months, while the mRNA vaccine has the advantage of a shorter development and production process.
The Spanish Society of Preventive Medicine, Public Health and Hygiene (SEMPSPH) has shared some prevention measures that, in this case, are very similar to those of influenza:
- Avoid close contact with people affected by respiratory infections.
- Wash your hands frequently, especially before and after direct contact with sick people and their environments.
- Maintain a distance of one meter between people (approximately).
- Cover your mouth and nose with your forearm or tissues when you cough or sneeze and wash your hands afterwards.
In addition, SEMPSPH recalled that given the possibility that it can be transmitted through food, health authorities in the affected areas recommend avoiding the consumption of meat or other foods that are not properly cooked. For travelers who have recently visited the Wuhan area, the Sub-Directorate General for External Health recommends:
Avoid close or direct contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.
Maintain good personal hygiene, especially after direct contact with sick people.
Avoid close contact with live or dead animals and their secretions.
Avoid consuming products of animal origin (avoid meat or undercooked or raw foods).
On the other hand, remember older travelers and those with underlying health problems who may be at risk of getting a more serious illness, so they should assess the risk of a trip to Wuhan with a healthcare professional at an International Vaccination Center ; In addition, due to the high activity of the seasonal flu epidemic in China, travelers should receive the seasonal flu vaccine at least two weeks before the trip, according to national recommendations.
