Online Monitoring of Coronavirus in North Carolina

What Is a Coronavirus?

A coronavirus is a virus belonging to a large family of viruses that cause respiratory problems in humans, ranging from the cold to other more severe diseases.

Its name originates from the Latin word for “crown” and the Ancient Greek korōnè, wreath, and refers to the appearance of the viruses.

Types

• The most well-known coronaviruses are SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome or camel flu) and SARS-COV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2).
• These viruses are also present in animals such as camels, cattle, cats, and bats.

Covid-19: Brief

Covid-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. This virus made its first appearance in Wuhan, China on 31 December, 2019. Several of those infected worked at a seafood market where livestock alongside other animals such as bats and snakes were present. This suggested that the virus was spread from animal to person. It emerged later that a large number of patients had been not been exposed to animals which indicates a person-to-person spread.

Pandemic:

• Since the outbreak in China, every country on the continent except Antarctica has been fighting to contain the virus.
• Cases are increasing daily, despite mandated measures such as lockdowns or contact bans.
• Europe is considered to be at the heart of the spread with countries such as Italy and Spain reporting thousands of fatalities daily.

Vaccines or anti-viral drugs have yet to be discovered to stop the increasing number of fatalities worldwide

How It Spreads

• Via respiratory droplets, e.g. coughing, sneezing, talking, breathing
• Via dust
• Via close contact, e.g. handshakes, surfaces (the virus can live on surfaces for up to 72 hours)

The most common way that this disease spreads is through close contact with a person who has the infection. Every time a person coughs or sneezes, they produce droplets – a single cough can emit as many as 3,000 while a sneeze 10,000. Close contact is within around 6 feet.

Symptoms

Although COVID-19 symptoms may vary from person to person, WHO has provided certain indicators. People who are fit and healthy with no underlying symptoms are most likely to experience the following symptoms:

• Fever – if you feel hot to the touch and have a temperature higher than 100.4 F (38.0 C).
• Shortness of breath – as COVID-19 is a respiratory disease, this is a symptom to be monitored carefully.
• A dry cough
• Fatigue

How to Prevent

The best way to prevent virus affecting you is to keep up with simple but vital recommendations.

Wash your hands thoroughly:

• After you’ve been to the bathroom, before preparing food and regularly at all other times.
• Use soap and water, or if not available, an alcohol-based solution.
• Sing or hum your favorite melody to make sure you wash your hands for the recommended length of 20 seconds.

Practice ’social distancing’:

• Skip meeting up with friends and limit contact with household members
• Work remotely, if possible – check your company’s policies regarding remote working
• Only go out if you need to go to the shops or to work, but keep at least 6 feet between you and other people– especially important if they’re sneezing or coughing

If you’re sick:

• Cough or sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue and dispose of it immediately
• Self-isolate at home for 14 days – the time it takes for symptoms to appear after exposure to COVID-19

How to Get Tested

Due to limited resources, it is not possible for everyone to get tested. Nevertheless, you can generally request a test from your doctor or health authority if you can answer ‘yes’ to the following questions (different rules may apply according to your country of residence):

• Have you been experiencing the above symptoms?
• Have you travelled to highly affected countries within 14 days of symptoms appearing?
• Have you been in close contact with another person who has tested positive for COVID19?

Arranging a test:

• Don’t travel to your doctor’s surgery or local hospital. If you suspect you have coronavirus, you risk infecting others
• Call your GP who will arrange for you to go to a dedicated test center where they will take a mouth or nose swab
• Results from the test lab will usually be available in 24-72 hours

Help & Information

Doctors Say