The virus apparently emerged from illegally traded wildlife (bats and snakes) at a seafood market in Wuhan, China that also sold live animals, crossed species to infect humans, and has further spread through human to human contact.
The 2019-nCoV behaves like SARS, with bats likely as their primary reservoir, and spreads through large droplets, predominantly from people having lower respiratory infections. This new virus seems to grow better in primary human airway epithelial cells as compared to standard tissue culture cells in the lab. This is what sets it apart from other viruses like SARS and MERS making it harder to contain / quarantine. Amidst all the chaos, there is a need to debunk some of the misconceptions around the disease and raise awareness to avoid panic. It's not new: Every decade, viruses seem to cross-species and infect humans. In this decade, this virus is 2019-nCoV (Novel Corona virus). The name ‘corona’ is derived from its shape, resembling a crown or solar corona (the halo around sun), when seen under a microscope.
The three deadly human respiratory coronaviruses that have been identified so far include;
1. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV), in 2003
2. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), in 2014
3. 2019-nCoV -- 75-80% identical to SARS-CoV in behavior. Fatality is thankfully lower than SARS, MERS and EBOLA
Symptoms: Novel coronavirus (n-CoV) is a large family of viruses that can cause a range of respiratory illnesses from the common cold to more dangerous conditions such as severe respiratory syndrome or SARS. The incubation period is up to two weeks, according to WHO.
Most infected patients experience milder symptoms such as sneezing, running nose, cough, sore throat along with headache, malaise and/or fever lasting for a couple of days, but few have a severe illness, including pneumonia and respiratory failure. The principal cause of breathlessness in them is the fact that the virus does not attack the throat alone. It attacks the lung tissue as well.
The illness is highly contagious. Transmission occurs through large droplets and physical contact with the infected individual and less frequently from people with mild, non-specific signs or fomites (surface transmission through clothing, bedding, doorknobs, etc.).
Homeopathy can help in prevention: “Homoeopathy can be effective in the prevention of novel coronavirus infections” says Ayush Ministry of the country through an advisory following a meeting of the Scientific Advisory Board of Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) under the Ministry of AYUSH, to discuss ways and means for the prevention of n-CoV infection through homeopathy.
Various homeopathic medicines to prevent and to treat the initial symptoms are Ars alb, phos, eupt perf, Influenzinum, ocimum sanctum, pneumococcin etc.
General hygienic measures for the prevention of airborne infections are:
Maintenance of personal hygiene; Cleaning hands often with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water for at least 20 seconds
Avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
Avoiding close contact with people who have fever and cough
Covering mouth & nose while coughing or sneezing
Avoiding crowded places.
"If suspected of having contracted infection, wear N95 mask and contact the nearest hospital immediately", the advisory said. It also recommended prophylactic measures / immunomodulatory drugs as per homeopathic/ayurvedic practices and take measures to strengthen the immune system through a healthy diet and lifestyle practices such as not to consume junk food; Avoiding fried or spicy food and load up Vitamin C and B complex daily; A decoction of tulsi, ginger, pepper curcumin in hot water helps immensely; Giloy treats fever and enhances immunity; hot vegetable soups or sip hot water; Do not hold thirst. Always keep the throat moist, because once the membrane in the throat gets dry, the virus will invade into the body faster; Avoid any form of cold drinks, ice creams, milkshakes, raw ice, ice colas, milk or sweets older than 48 hours. If having fever, cough and difficulty in breathing, seek medical help immediately. If there is a previous travel history, do not forget to mention it to the health provider too.
Prevention is better than cure. Universal droplets transmission precaution is the answer. Therefore, strict adherence to universal precautions, quarantining for two weeks of lower respiratory tract infection patients, and timely diagnosis is the need of hour.
Awareness and precaution can equip better in handling the present crisis than panic.