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 |  Subject: Coronavirus symptoms: how quickly they show – and what to look for  Thu Mar 05, 2020 6:30 pm | |
| This practical guide, underpinned with advice from leading health experts, is designed to protect you and your family.
The new coronavirus (Covid-19) is spreading fast. More than 97,000 people are known to be infected, and more than 3,300 deaths have been recorded worldwide.
The bulk of new cases being recorded each day are now outside China, and the virus is spreading at some speed across Europe.
There have now been 115 confirmed cases in the UK. And an elderly person with underlying health issues became the first person in Britain to die having been diagnosed with the disease, Royal Berkshire NHS Trust confirmed on Thursday.
Experts have been warning for years that the world is overdue a major disease outbreak, but there is much that individuals can do to protect themselves and others.
This practical guide is designed to keep you safe and will be updated daily. It is underpinned with advice from leading experts in the NHS and beyond.
What is a coronavirus?Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause disease in animals. Seven, including the new virus, have made the jump to humans, but most just cause common cold-like symptoms.
Two coronaviruses – Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) – are much more severe, having killed more than 1,500 people between them since 2002.
The new virus, officially known as Covid-19, is also more dangerous than the common cold. So far, around 15 to 20 per cent of hospital cases have been classed as "severe" and the current death rate varies between 0.7 per cent and 3 per cent depending on the location and, crucially, access to good hospital care.
This is much lower than Mers (30 per cent) or Sars (10 per cent), but still a significant threat.
Scientists in China believe that Covid-19 has mutated into two strains, one more aggressive than the other, which could make developing a vaccine more complicated.
What are the symptoms of the new coronavirus?According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the main symptoms of the coronavirus usually include:
- A dry cough
- A temperature
- Tiredness
- Shortness of breath (in more severe cases)
Some patients may have "aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea", the WHO adds. "These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell".
These symptoms are similar to other respiratory diseases including flu and the common cold. So if you have symptoms, consider the following:
- Have you travelled to a high risk area such as China, South Korea or Northern Italy in the last two weeks?
- Have you been in close contact with someone with coronavirus
How quickly do symptoms emerge?Symptoms are thought to appear between two and 10 days after contracting the virus, but it may be up to 24 days.
Most people (about 80 per cent) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. However, around one out of every six people (16 per cent) becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing.
Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems, lung complaints or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness.
When should I seek medical help?People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention quickly.
But you should not go out. Instead, you should call NHS 111. Also call NHS 111 if:
- you think you might have coronavirus
- in the last 14 days you've been to a country or area with a high risk of coronavirus
- you've been in close contact with someone with coronavirus
What if I feel fine but have recently returned from a high risk area?In some cases you may be asked to self-quarantine to protect others even if you do not have symptoms but have travelled to a high risk area.
Use this NHS advice tool to find out what to do to protect yourself and others.
Do not go to a GP, pharmacy or hospital as if you have the virus you may infect others.
How to 'self quarantine' if you think you might have coronavirus
If you think you may have the virus, you should try to isolate or quarantine yourself.
This means you should:
- Stay at home
- Avoid work, school and other public areas
- Avoid public transport and taxis
- Get friends and family to delivery food, medicines etc rather than going to the shops
- Discourage visitors
How is the new coronavirus spread and how can I protect myself?Hand hygiene is the first and most important line of defence.
Like cold and flu bugs, the new virus is spread via droplets when a person coughs or sneezes. The droplets land on surfaces and are picked up on the hands of others and spread further. People catch the virus when they touch their infected hands to their mouth, nose or eyes.
It follows that the single most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to keep your hands clean by washing them frequently with soap and water or a hand sanitising gel.
Also try to avoid touching your mouth, nose or eyes with unwashed hands – something we all do unconsciously on average about 15 times an hour.
Other tips include:
- Carry a hand sanitiser with you to make frequent cleaning of your hands easy
- Always wash your hands before you eat or touch your face
- Be especially careful about touching things and then touching your face in busy airports and other public transport systems
- Carry disposable tissues with you, cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze and dispose of the tissue carefully (catch it, bin it, kill it)
- Do not share snacks from packets or bowls that others are dipping their fingers into
- Avoid shaking hands or cheek kissing if you suspect viruses are circulating
- Regularly clean not only your hands but also commonly used surfaces and devices you touch
More: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-symptoms-covid-19/ |
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