Everything you need to know about symptoms and risks
You’d be forgiven to think that you were in an over the top all action apocalyptic movie straight out of Hollywood. Starting with the worst bushfires that Australia has ever seen in its history, more than 17.9 million hectares burned - in terms of size, it's an area larger than the countries of Belgium and Denmark combined. Along with burning of the trees nearly 1 billion animals perished and 3000 homes were completely destroyed.
Indonesia experienced flooding at an unprecedented rate and with rapid floods 66 people were killed and tens of thousands were displaced with just as many homeless and hospitalized.
Earthquakes in Turkey and Puerto Rico:
: On 7th January, the entire island of Puerto Rico was shaken by a powerful earthquake measuring 6.4. They were left with no power, thousands were displaced and were left without food and shelter and many hospitalized.
In Turkey things were not all that different: On 24 January, 1600 people were injured and 35 were killed by a powerful 6.8 earthquake in South East Turkey, hundreds of houses were destroyed, streets wrecked and schools flattened.
If the fires from weren’t enough, the massive dust storms in Australia continued in February, billowing across the skies and into the streets and homes, and turned day into night - and the only way that the fires were put out was through the massive floods and rainstorms that pounded the cities…
Have you had enough yet?
We are not even a quarter way through the year and it seems like everything experienced so far is surreal. The Corona virus that found its way out of a lab in Wuhan, China has caused a massive upheaval in society.
For some clarification and somewhat ease of mind - we answer the most pressing questions about the new strain of coronavirus. At this stage there is no cure and no vaccine, so diligence in hygiene and washing of hands is absolutely essential.
How is the virus spread?
The novel coronavirus can be transmitted from person to person. According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in the US, the risk of infection is particularly high when there is close physical contact, up to 6ft.
It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. So the most important thing is to remember to keep your hands away from your face.
There is no shaking hands, and always cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm. Precautions like washing your hands regularly can prevent infection - this is not just for yourself but for the people around you, especially for those who are elderly or have weakened immune systems. Be especially vigilant when touching any surfaces as the virus stays alive for some hours after an infected person has touched the surface.
The virus, which has caused thousands of people around the world to fall ill, triggers serious respiratory failure and as such those who are elderly and those who have suppressed immune systems are highly vulnerable and susceptible to the disease.
As this article goes to press, the coronavirus is spreading more and more in Europe. In Italy where the virus has spread, as of Monday 16th March more than 2100 people have died. In France, President Macron has told French citizens that all gas, electricity and rent bills are to be suspended. More importantly is the care that he has also promised for healthcare workers .masks, disinfectant, hand washes, free creches for their children, taxis to and from work, hotel rooms if necessary and on top of this, the army will take sick people to hospital.
Additionally, the French government has deployed 100,000 police and gendarmerie forces to control people's movement because of the coronavirus outbreak
In Germany, Angela Merkel has instructed unprecedented nationwide measures to radically scale back public life in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus. All mosques, churches, synagogues and all non-essential shops as well as playgrounds have been ordered shut. All IKEA stores have also been shut down.
Over the past weekend, the Spanish government declared a state of emergency and imposed a strict quarantine on all citizens. No one can leave the house unless it’s to buy food or medicine or take care of a sick relative. Schools and universities are closed. The same goes for stores, movie theaters, bars, restaurants. Police officers are now patrolling the streets, ready to detain or fine people who violate the quarantine. Going outside to run or for a walk is prohibited.
In Australia, the government has imposed heavy fines on those who breach the self-isolation protocol - in the state of New South Wales, breaching an order to self isolation carries a heavy $11,000 fine and six months’ imprisonment.
According to the Guardian newspaper, while many countries have been late to respond to the threat, South Korea, which has more than 8,000 confirmed infections has quickly controlled the spread of the virus, through rapid testing and quarantine measures in the worst affected areas. It has recorded three days where recoveries have outstripped new infections.
In China, tens of thousands are already infected with the coronavirus. Up to now the most serious cases and most number have been in Italy. Countries around the world are sealing off their borders in an attempt to contain the spread of the disease. A video posted by many people in Italy is a serious warning around the world so please listen to it carefully:
What is the coronavirus and how dangerous is it?
SARS-CoV-2 is the official name for the new virus that can cause severe lung disease (called Covid-19). The pathogen, which was initially named 2019-nCoV, first appeared in China and is one of the corona viruses. These viruses are a group of pathogens that cause respiratory diseases - from colds to Sars, which was fatal in about a tenth of cases.
Symptoms of the novel coronavirus include fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The incubation period is seven days.
The number of fatalities caused by the novel coronavirus now exceeds the number of victims of the SARS epidemic in 2002 and 2003. The new virus variant is closely related to the pathogen at that time, which also occurred in China for the first time. At that time, approximately 8,000 people worldwide contracted the SARS pathogen and around one in ten patients died.
Who is at risk and why?
In China, experts have examined the data of more than 44,000 coronavirus patients. More than 3,208 have died as a result of the virus.The results show that some risk groups are particularly at risk of contracting the coronavirus. This is especially true for men and women over the age of 50.
Gender appears to play a role in particular in the risk of death. About the same number of men and women were infected with the virus, but the mortality rate for men was 2.8 percent; for women only 1.7 percent. The older an infected person, the higher their risk of dying from the disease: According to the Chinese experts, people aged 80 and over are directly exposed to the risk of death.
In addition to age and gender, the results show that previous illnesses also have an impact on the course of the disease and on the risk of death. The highest mortality rate is found in infected people with cardiovascular diseases - in Germany it is currently sitting at 10.5 percent.
How can you protect yourself against the coronavirus?
The new coronavirus can be transmitted from person to person. It is transferred between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). It is also transmitted through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
The main transmission route is droplet infection, i.e. inhalation of pathogens, which a sick person distributes, for example, when coughing. A transfer is also possible via the hands.
The Robert Koch Institute explains how to protect yourself against the coronavirus: with regular hand washing for at least 20 seconds, and keeping one to two meters away from those who appear to be sick. It can help to limit hugs and shaking hands and not to touch surfaces such as door handles, handles and elevator buttons that are touched by many people.
Respiratory masks against the coronavirus, on the other hand, are particularly useful according to epidemiologists if you want to protect others from infection. For this it is important that the masks fit well, are changed when they are wet, and that the wearer does not touch the mask unconsciously and thus carry on viruses. Keeping your hands away from your face is of utmost importance. Despite the rapid amount of masks being sold, and with an increase in latex gloves, WHO has said that there is no evidence that a mask protects the wearer from infection. The WHO even warns of a “false sense of security” that the masks could create.
Are there any effects on air and rail traffic?
Airport operators are closely monitoring the issue. There are detailed emergency plans with clear processes for emergencies.
Aircraft crews are obliged to report people who experience a fever during the flight at the destination airport. Measures such as fever measurements at airports in Germany are now .
Due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, the British airline Easyjet has cancelled flights and is also launching an austerity program. Connections to and from northern Italy, where numerous infections have been reported, are particularly affected, said an Easyjet officer in Luton near London. Lufthansa has also canceled thousands of flights.
Where does the corona virus originate from?
According to the Chinese authorities, the virus has its origins in a fish market in Wuhan, where wild animals were also sold. One of the wild animals is believed to be the source of the virus. According to this, there were initially transmissions from animals to humans, before the virus mutated, and adapted to its new host. After this, the transmissions between humans began.
Corona virus: What measures is the Chinese government taking?
The Chinee authorities have sealed off cities in the central Chinese province of Hubei, and a total of around 56 million people have been quarantined. The isolated cities included Jingzhou (5.6 million inhabitants), Xiaogan (5 million inhabitants) and Wuhan (11 million inhabitants), where the virus first broke out. The number of new infections dropped sharply in mid-March, until it was finally announced from China that no new people had contacted the infection. In Wuhan, the emergency hospitals that popped up soon after have started to shut down.
Foreclosure was an unprecedented measure. "This is unique in recent history," said Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit from the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM). According to a spokesman, the World Health Organization (WHO) is not aware of any other comparable case in recent history.
In addition to the measures in the affected province, security measures across the country have been tightened. Attractions such as the Palace in Beijing and Disneyland in Shanghai have been closed to tourists for the time being. Public events in Hong Kong have been canceled and the Special Administrative Region has declared a state of emergency.
Did the Chinese government react in time?
The people of the People's Republic have deep mistrust of reporting by the state media and information from the health authorities. Many fear that the real threat of the virus outbreak will be downplayed officially. After all, the Chinese Communist Party's information policy was extremely non-transparent in the devastating Sars outbreak in 2002 - which exacerbated the epidemic at the time. At that time, around 800 people were killed. The new virus is currently said to be a more harmless variant.
Measuring stations have been set up throughout China's public transport system to test passengers for symptoms. Passengers suspected of being infected should be taken to a medical facility immediately.
The health commission initially issued a travel warning to Wuhan, the authorities have also installed health scanners at train stations and airports, and in a speech, President Xi Jinping warned his party cadres to "prioritize public health". Until finally Wuhan's almost complete isolation followed.
Who should you contact if you suspect coronavirus?
Anyone who has had contact with infected people should report to their health department regardless of the symptoms. Do not visit the hospital or the emergency department.
In many countries around the world, many travellers who have had a fever are being quarantined for the first two weeks of their visit. If you have left the airport and the quarantine location and suspect that you may have symptoms then again, its imperative to contact your local health service provider or the family doctor, who can arrange for a laboratory examination if Sars-CoV-2 is suspected.
