The 2019-nCoV, (now renamed SARS-CoV-2 since we discovered that belongs to the same family as SARS) is a type of coronavirus first detected in humans in December 2019 in the Chinese city of Wuhan; It is also known simply as ‘new coronavirus’.
The respiratory disease of this coronavirus, labeled as of February 11 as COVID-19, was designated a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 30. However, although the WHO recognizes that it has the potential for a pandemic, it has not yet been officially declared as such.
COVID-19 symptoms include coughing, sneezing, fever, and shortness of breath; These can appear between two and fourteen days after exposure to the virus. The contagion occurs through the inhalation of tiny droplets that are emitted from the affected person to the healthy person through expectorations such as coughs and sneezes, in an interpersonal contact one or two meters away.
What do we know about the origin of the new coronavirus? Scientists are looking for clues to its epidemiology, although they suspect it came from an animal source.
Coronaviruses are a family of viruses with one characteristic in common: they have proteins on their surface that give them the characteristic appearance of a corona. Coronaviruses have been known for decades; however, many are believed to be unable to affect humans.
Another example of an outbreak of a similar respiratory illness is SARS. Acute and severe respiratory syndrome reached 800 deaths, a much lower number than the number of deaths associated with the new coronavirus. However, the mortality rate was much higher in the case of SARS, which stood at 10%, while that of COVID-19 stood at around 2%. For its part, the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), detected in the Middle East in 2012, presented a 30% mortality rate.
In the event of presenting symptoms that may be associated with the new coronavirus, it is recommended to contact our GP. If the tests are positive in 2019-nCoV, the patient must remain at home isolated for 15 days. Only people with health problems that weaken their immune systems, with previous breathing problems, pregnant women, and the elderly should be concerned about developing COVID-19.
While scientists are working on the development of a vaccine or viral treatment, citizen collaboration is essential to avoid spreading the virus: basic preventive measures must be followed, such as frequent hand washing or coughing and sneezing towards the elbow or a disposable handkerchief. Regarding the use of masks, its use is not recommended unless it is essential.
In the following list you have a collection of topics that will help you better understand what the new coronavirus is, what its consequences are and how the current situation is developing.