Valentin Bosioc
The COVID-19 cases have now affected almost 2.9 million people in 211 countries worldwide. People’s views and opinions are divided amidst the ongoing virus spread and the panic it stipulates. Although it was widely reported that the disease originated from the seafood market in the central China city of Wuhan, there’s a piece of current news supported by a team of Chinese scientists that indicates otherwise.
Apart from all this contradicting news, there are fully supported facts provided by different health organizations worldwide that we can rely on. This article will discuss different segments about COVID-19 definition, its spread rate, the precautions you have to observe, and the current UK situation during the pandemic.
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is a new strain of infectious disease caused by the coronavirus. A coronavirus has a broad classification of related viruses that can cause mild to severe illnesses in both humans and animals. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to induce respiratory infections, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the common COVID-19 symptoms are the following:
- fever
- dry cough
- fatigue
- aches and pains
- nasal congestion
- sore throat
- diarrhea
The symptoms listed above are typically mild and begin gradually. Some can be infected but will only feel mild symptoms, while others can be asymptomatic. Most people can recover from the illness without the need for hospitalization; however, few people get severely ill and experience difficulty in breathing, which can lead to more critical conditions or death.
COVID-19 Spread Rate
With almost 3 million total cases, anyone can be susceptible to catch COVID-19; and even people with the mildest symptoms can easily transmit the virus. Generally, the illness spreads from person to person via small droplets sourced from mouth or nose that can be expelled when an infected individual speaks, coughs, or sneezes. This is the reason why it is essential to stay at least 1 meter away from others to avoid any risk of infection.
More than that, an individual can be infected by holding things or touching surfaces that have coronavirus droplets, then touching their nose, eyes, or mouth. This is why everyone is advised to practice proper handwashing or hand sanitizing, especially for people who spend most of their time outdoors.
Older people and those who have underlying medical conditions like cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart, and lung problems, are vulnerable in developing serious illnesses that can lead to death. Recent statistics presented by euronews.com imply that the COVID-19 death rate is 1 per 1000 infections – yet this may change in the coming days.
Precautionary Measures
Anyone can catch the novel coronavirus and be at a higher risk of severe illness. In order to stay healthy and free from the terror of COVID-19, here are some guidelines:
Practice Handwashing
Frequent handwashing is one of the best practices to remove germs to avoid getting sick, so as to prevent spreading germs to others. By merely following the five steps of proper handwashing: wet, lather, scrub, rinse, and dry, you can stop spreading any harmful microbe in your surroundings.
Proper Hand Sanitizing
If handwashing is impossible to do at the moment, then you can use a hand sanitizer as a substitute. It will disinfect and kill most germs, but it cannot remove the dirt and oil on your hands. However, it is a good idea to use hand sanitizers when you can’t wash your hands otherwise. Get a good quality customized hand sanitizer to make sure you get rid of all those harmful germs.
Social Distancing
Isolation and social distancing are good ideas to minimize the spread of viral infection. Maintain 3 feet or a meter of distance from others whenever you go out to places where there will be crowds.
UK’s Current Situation
As of April 25, about 517,836 individuals have been tested for COVID-19. The UK has reported 148,377 confirmed COVID-19 infections and 20,319 deaths. Following this, the government has now placed a strict lockdown and banned public gatherings in order to deal with the pandemic.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the world, killing more than 200,000 people. What we can do to keep ourselves healthy and safe is to adhere to the precautionary measures. In doing so, we can stop the spread of this deadly virus.
