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| Coronavirus disease 2019-2020 | |
 | |
| Four SARS-CoV-2 under an electron microscope. The peaks at the outer edges of the particles, which give them the appearance of a radiant crown (corona in Latin), are at the origin of the name coronavirus. | |
| Information | |
| Region (s) | World |
|---|---|
| Cause | Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) |
| Vector | human exhalation |
| Contagiousness |  Yes |
| Prophylaxis: | |
| * vaccine | Yes |
| * medication |  no |
| Therapy: | Yes |
| Location | |
 | |
Spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus around the world in .
| |
 Medical warning | |
The coronavirus disease 2019 Where Covid-19 is a infectious disease pneumologic and contagious due to a coronavirus, the SARS-CoV-2.
Understand
the SARS-CoV-2 is the strain of the coronavirus disease (also called COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019) which was identified in December 2019 at Wuhan, in the province of Hubei, China. The disease is a species of coronavirus, in the same family as the diseases of SARS, MERS and certain types of common cold. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020.
Many scientific details remain unknown for the moment, but according to what is already known, it seems that COVID-19 is more virulent and more contagious than the seasonal flu, and at the same time less virulent but more contagious than the diseases. of SARS and MERS. The virus is more dangerous for the elderly and for individuals who already have an underlying disease; in these vulnerable groups, complications from the coronavirus can lead to serious illness and even death.
Faced with the global transmission of the virus, all travel is strongly discouraged, except in case of necessity. If you travel, you risk your health and the health of everyone around you. Additionally, due to border closures and transportation service disruptions, you may find yourself stranded or quarantined abroad, with no ability to return home.
If you need to travel, you should take steps to reduce your chances of getting the infection as much as possible: wash your hands frequently; do not touch the face; do not cough or sneeze, except by using a tissue or your sleeve; avoid contact with sick people. Before you travel, do some research on the many new laws and restrictions that apply around the world, and especially in your destination country or region. Once you arrive at your destination, go into self-isolation for a period of not less than seven days and not more than fourteen days, and do not forget to monitor your health.
If you are currently abroad, consider go home immediately, while it remains possible.
Location
As of March 2020, there are hundreds of thousands of confirmed cases. Since its inception in China, the disease has spread across the world, and there are now more infected outside China than inside. THE'Europe has become the new epicenter of the crisis, according to the WHO, with the highest increase in cases in the south and west of the old continent. More than 170 countries around the world are home to the virus, including China, United States, the'Italy, the'Spain, the'Germany, the'Iran, the France, the Swiss and the UK are the most affected. “Local transmission” is established in all inhabited continents.
The full extent of the pandemic is uncertain, because not all suspected cases are tested. Many countries do not have the means to test their populations globally, because reagents are manufactured only in certain parts of the world and international trade is slowing down. It is, therefore, possible that the true number of infected people is higher than the official toll.
Transmission
The particles of the coronavirus are quite large and cannot spread through the air. Rather, they are transmitted by postilions (droplets of saliva), so it is normally sufficient to keep two meters between people to avoid interpersonal transmission. However, the virus can also survive for an as yet undetermined period on objects. If, for example, someone sneezes into their hands and then touches a doorknob without washing their hands, anyone passing through the same door is at risk of contracting the infection.
There is some evidence that an infected person can still transmit COVID-19 without experiencing symptoms; this is always researched.
Vector protection
Simple manufacture of a hydroalcoholic gel and its use
For a liter of gel, mix:
- 833.3 ml ofethanol at 96% orisopropanol at 99.9% (be careful that ethanol completely loses its anti-viral properties below 90% and bacterial properties below 70%),
- 41.7 ml ofoxygenated water,
- 14.5 ml of glycerol,
- 10.5 ml distilled water or cooled boiled water.
Shake the solution well, distribute it in pump bottles, not spray bottles, and let stand 72 h before use.
Run a small amount of gel in the palm of your hand and rub the product on the palms, the back of the hand, between the fingers, as well as on the wrists then let dry without wiping. Do not use the gel on damp or very dirty hands, in the latter case, wash them beforehand with soap and dry them.
While using a gel, industrial or homemade type, is better than doing nothing (especially if you don't have access to clean water), the most effective way to maintain hand hygiene is - to away - wash them with soap under running hot water for at least twenty seconds and dry them with a disposable tissue or touchless hand dryer.
In the event of an epidemic or pandemic
For himself
- avoid shaking, kissing or hugging when greeting someone;
- keep your distance in high-traffic areas (minimum one meter);
- wash your hands regularly with liquid soap (avoid solid soap, which is absolutely not bactericidal and which therefore risks contaminating the place where it is deposited or being contaminated by it) or a antiseptic (be careful to keep the same class of antiseptic for each wash);
- avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes with your hands;
- avoid contact with visibly ill people or keep a sufficient distance (minimum 1.5 meter) ;
- clean, with a wipe soaked in a household cleaner, of chloroxylenol or alcohol, things that many people touch, such as car door or door handles, vehicle steering wheels and gearshifts, phones, keys, and remote controls. Lemon and, to a lesser extent, 14% household vinegar are antiseptic. Bleach, also antiseptic, should be avoided in view of its power to whiten colors, its corrosiveness on the epidermis and its bronchial irritation;
- do not share objects that come into contact with the mouth, such as bottles, cutlery, napkins, bath towels, washcloths or, of course, toothbrushes.
With respect to others
- Always use a new tissue and then throw it in a closed garbage can. If you do not think you can quickly throw it away in such a trash can, place it in a plastic bag with a hermetic seal;
- if you don't have a tissue handy, sneeze or cough into the crease of your elbow;
- if you think you are sick, call a GP and report your symptoms. Do not go to their waiting room or to the emergency room. The doctor will decide over the phone whether you can recover at home or need to go to the hospital;
- stay home if you are sick.
Virus protection
Diagnostic
Symptoms
The most common symptoms include a fever, a dry cough, and fatigue. Rarer symptoms are shortness of breath, sore throat, headache, muscle pain and a fatty cough. In severe cases, the patient suffers from high fever, pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and multiple organ failure which can lead to disability or death. dead. About 80% of those infected have mild symptoms, and 20% may need medical attention in a hospital. The fatality rate is estimated at between 1 and 3% of infected people, most of whom are elderly people already suffering from other diseases. The fatality rate is much higher among those in their seventies and older, while those under 40 experience a significant drop in the fatality rate.
Among those most seriously affected by COVID-19 infection are the elderly, healthcare professionals and others who work in medico-health settings, those with weakened immune systems, and those already suffering. another health problem: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, severe respiratory disease, cancer. In children, very few cases are estimated, and most of them are mild or moderate, although some may reach pneumonia. It is also possible to have the disease without any symptoms appearing.
The typical incubation period (the time between infection and the onset of symptoms) is between two and fourteen days. As of March 2020, it is not yet known for how long an infected person is infectious, but it is likely that it will last as long as an individual remains symptomatic. There is limited evidence that an asymptomatic individual can act as a vector for the disease, transmitting it to others without suffering from it themselves. Is it possible to recover from the disease after being cured of it? This is one of the questions that are still being investigated.
Diagnostic test
Therapy
Possible consequences
Further information
- – The page dedicated to coronavirus infections on the WHO website.
- Covid-19 pandemic – Wikipedia article.
