Widely known as Coronavirus, COVID-19 is a viral disease
Widely known as Coronavirus, COVID-19 is a viral disease, whose emergence and establishment in the world societies has enormous political, social, and economic impacts. According to WHO (2020), the Chinese government realized the emergence of cases of pneumonia in Hubei Province, Wuhan city. Within days, the novel coronavirus was identified, and the disease was initially viewed as insignificant to the world security. In its article on the novel coronavirus, WHO, (2020) establish a chronological order of how the disease evolved and spread across the world. On December 31st 2019, the symptoms of the disease were reported in China, and in January 1st 2020, WHO established Incident Management Support Team, which aimed at controlling the spread of this disease in China. In January 4th, HWO made an official announcement on the disease, and on 5th, the organization published the news on the disease. By January 30th, WHO declared the disease a pandemic, and consequently, by March 11th, the disease was declared pandemic. The disease has spread across the world, causing alteration of all aspects of life, with transportation and movement of people being restricted across numerous countries around the world. Connectedly, this research paper provides comprehensive details on COVID-19, by reviewing journals, websites, books, and interviews relating to the disease.
Previous World Pandemics and Causes of Pandemics
With this Covid-19 taking numerous lives, and altering economies, understanding the history of world pandemics helps in implementation of policies, which aim at solving the pandemic and stopping further spread. Morens, Daszak, Markel, & Taubenberger, (2020) examine the past pandemics that shook world peace, and compare their effects to the novel coronavirus. According to Morens et al. (2020), Covid-19 is not the first pandemic to hit the healthcare sector in the world. Morens et al. (2020), show that China has been hit before by pandemics, with, the pre-historic pandemic hitting the country in 3000 B.C. and killing all the people within the pre-historic village. Discovered by Chinese archeologist, Hamin Mangha, the pandemic is depicted through mass burials, which scientists projected to have been caused by the pandemic. Other notable pandemics as stated in Morens et al. (2020) are the Athens Plague of 430 B.C, Antoinne Plague, Cyprian Plague of 250-271 B.C, Justinian Plague of 541 A.D, American Plague of 16th century, the flu pandemic of 1890s, and the Spanish Flu of 1920.
Notably, Morens et al. (2020) examine the Biblical approach to pandemics, with a study of the Egyptian plagues as cast on Pharaoh by Moses. After studying these pandemics, Morens et al. (2020) establish that human beings contribute significantly of the emergence of pandemics. In support of this argument, Morens et al. (2020) use three concepts. Through human activities like deforestation, urbanization, agriculture, and the disruption of the ecosystems, human beings increase contact with wildlife. Zoonotic pathogens present in animals contribute greatly to the emergence of diseases like flues. Travelling according to Morens et al. (2020) plays a huge role in the promotiong of emergency of pandemics. In their arguments, these scholars state that, travelling results in transmission of diseases from one region to another, whereby they noted the “Black Death” pandemic that claimed numerous lives across the world. Traveling from Mongolia across China, Asia, and Europe, traders carried the disease into Europe. Similarly, cholera spread from India, into Europe in the 19th century. Using this same approach, Morens et al. (2020) argue that COVID-19 has resulted from human activities. In relating these older pandemics to corona virus, Morens et al. (2020) argue that every pandemic is different, but lessons can be derived from these pandemics to solve the covid-19 pandemic.
Cause COVID-19 Pandemic
Covid-19 is a respiratory infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 or coronavirus 2. According to Rothan & Byrareddy, (2020), the disease has Different theories have emerged explaining the origin of the disease, which has wrecked the world. Numerous health experts associate the disease with pangolins or bats. Coronaviruses are known to cause disease in both human beings and animals (Rothan & Byrareddy, 2020). In 2002 to 2003, SARS spread very fast, however, these SARS were contained, thus limiting the spread witnessed in this year’s pandemic. Scientists estimate that more than 80% of patients are able to recover without specialized care in medical facilities, with the remaining 20% requiring ventilators and other support tools to withstand the effects of COVID-19 (Rothan & Byrareddy, 2020). Corona viruses are common in animal species, like camels and cattle, and the transmission of these viruses from animals to human beings is highly minimal. Studies show that the new strain of coronavirus emerged from bats.
In their journal, Zheng, Ma, Zhang, & Xie, (2020) establish that coronavirus, (SARS-CoV-2) attacks the body by infecting the host cells. In launching these attacks coronavirus uses ACE2 receptors, which results in the pneumonia like disease. According to Zheng et al. (2020), the virus does not only depict itself in pneumonia-like symptoms, but also causes chronic damaging of the cardiovascular system and acute myocardial injuries to the bodies of the infected people. Zheng et al. (2020) establishing that more focus must be shifted to the cardiovascular system, because the virus attacks cells and tissues attached to it.
Spread of Covid-19
While evaluating this disease, Cascella, Ranjnik, Cuomo, Duelebohn, & Di Napoli, (2020) examine the modes in which Covid-19 is spread. The initial case of Covid-19 as stated in Cascella et al. (2020) was registered during an interaction between human beings and animals at Huanan Seafood shop. However, the subsequent cases were associated with interactions between people, thus transmission of the disease must be possible. The disease can be spread even before the emergence of symptoms, thus the world opted to use isolation to avert further spread of the disease. Other respiratory infections like rhinovirus and flu are spread through respiratory channels and droplets, obtained from sneezing and coughing. However, as Covid-19 spread requires close contact between individuals, with respiratory channels also playing a huge role in the spread of the disease. Studies also indicate that the disease can be spread through contact with materials that have been exposed to the disease. Plastics, metals, and wood touched by people with the disease can transmit coronavirus. In plastics, Cascella et al. (2020) indicate that the virus survives for more than two days. Similalry, the virus survives n tsianless tell for more than seventy two hours, and survives for one day in wooden materials.
In their evaluation of the disease, Bai, Yao, & Wei, (2020) establish that the disease spreads within specified distance, with specifications of distance that people must keep to avoid contracting the disease. Bai et al. (2020) indicate that, people must keep a distance of more than 2 meters to ensure safety from the disease. By keeping this distance the disease cannot be spread from asymptomatic patients.
Risk Factors
Risk factors in this disease define the factors which increase the chances of getting infected or developing severe illness from the disease. Even though the disease can spread to all people, some groups of people are at higher risks of contracting the disease. The highest risks of contracting the disease is brought by the spread of the disease within a locality. For instance, when the disease establishes itself within an area, it is easier for the people within this locality to get infected. Healthcare workers are at the highest risk of contracting this disease. These workers interact with patients of Covid-19, thus they have higher chances of contracting the disease. People with low immune systems as a result of other medical conditions are also at higher risks of contracting the disease. HIV/AIDS positive people have weakened immune systems, hence they are susceptible to the virus. Severity of the disease of HIV patients is higher, because the virus fights an already weakened immune system, and in most cases, these patients require special attention to recover from the disease. Other disease that render patents susceptible to covd-19 are asthma, heart-attacks, diabetes, high-blood pressure, and respiratory infections like lung cancer. People operating in public centers are also at a greater risk of contracting the disease from the public. People with these conditions are advised to ensure extra measures in interacting with other people.
Sign and Symptoms
According to the CDC, (2020), the signs of Covid-19 start being evident within 2-14 days after exposure. These signs include; chills and fever, cough, and fatigue. Patients also start experiencing difficulties in breathing whereby severe cases require medical attention to survive the condition. The patents then lose their smelling sense, and have difficulties detecting new smells in the environment. Body pains start developing, whereby muscles, bodies, and joints are affected. Fatigue is also experienced, and patients feel tired even after spending a day without performing any job. Severe headaches also symbolize the presence of covid-19, whereby patients experience frequent headaches. Sore throat accompanies coughs, and patients also experience running nose. Covd-19 is also symbolized by the frequent vomiting among the patients. Patients then develop severe diarrhea, when the virus starts affecting the stomach areas. According to the CDC, people must seek healthcare service when they develop severity in these signs. Trouble in breathing, bluish face and nose, inability to stay awake and persistent pressure and pains in the chest areas must be reported to healthcare personnel for immediate action.
Prevention of Covid-19
Preventive measures in the fight against this disease involve the strategies developed by healthcare organizations and governments to lower the spread of the disease. These strategies focus on isolating patients from the community and control of the disease. Airborne, droplet, and contact precautions must be taken to reduce the spread of this disease. According to Cascella et al. (2020), several measures must be followed for the complete control of Covid-19. Avoiding contact with infected people is critical in the fight against this disease. However, since the disease does not depict visibly confirmatory signs, it is important for people to avoid contact with any other people. Avoiding contact helps in minimizing the risk of obtaining the disease from asymptomatic patients. Frequent washing of hands as stated in Cascella et al. (2020) is also important in this preventive journey, whereby people must wash their hands after contact with the environment. After touching any components in the environment, or interacting with people, it is critical for people to wash their hands because it easier for the hands to transfer the virus to open areas like the mouth, nose, thus obtaining the disease.
Cascella et al. (2020) also note that individuals must avoid unnecessary contact with wild animals, the farm, and other tools in the society. With research still in progress to establish if the disease originated from wild animals, it is crucial for people to avoid contact with the animals. While interacting with animals, people must have protective wear. Animals like dogs can be touched by sick people leaving traces of the virus on their skins, thus while handling these pets, people must keep them confined to the family environment, and wash hands regularly after touching them. Any individuals in the society who depict the signs of covid-19 must be taken to isolation centers whereby they are kept away from the society. While sneezing and coughing, people must ensure discipline of closing their openings with clothes that are disposable and tissues. Hygiene is a critical measure in this journey of ensuring covid-19-free societies. Hygiene doe not only controlcovid-19 but also all the other diseases associated with dirt and which could lower the immunity of covid-19 patients. Social distancing is also a crucial step in avoiding the spread of covid-19, whereby people must embrace safe distances by avoiding crowded areas. Public gatherings like churches. Schools, and mosques must remain closed to ensure that people do not interact closely, increasing the spread of the disease. Portable sanitizers as Cascella et al. (2020) note is critical in avoiding the spread of the disease. Healthcare worker must take extra measures in this fight because they interact with the confirmed case, and can easily spread the disease across the other healthcare workers. In curbing the spread among the healthcare workers, PPEs like; eye protection, hand gloves, protective gowns, FFP3 and N95 masks must be worn.
Treatment and Management of Covid-19
Since its establishment in human beings, scientists have not developed any vaccine for the disease, and no specific treatment is recommended for its treatment. The treatment involves oxygen and symptomatic therapies. Mechanical ventilation is an invasive technique in treatment of covid-19 and it is applied when patients experience impairment in their respiratory tracts. Non-invasive techniques are also applied for the treatment of non-severe conditions in the disease. The intensive care units are additionally needed to deal with more severe conditions of the disease. Cascella et al. (2020) note that patients with respiratory rates of more than 30 per minute, oxygen must be administered venture masks of more than 40%. This technique is referred to as Oxygen Fast Challenge and is used for non-severe cases. The protective and intubation mechanical ventilation method is operated by clinicians wearing protective gear, and this method is used for patients who require intensive medical attention. Other treatment therapies include; the administration of drugs like hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine within every 12 hours as stated in Cascella et al. (2020). Hamed, (2016) examines that interferometry also plays a huge role in the examination the corona virus. Using the multiple-beam interference, covid-19 can be analyzed within the bodies of the patients.
Covid-19 statistics in the world
COVID-19 in the US
According to Frontline PBS, (2020) the US reported its first covid-19 case on January 20th whereby a man travelling from Wuhan City. The emergence of covid-19 in the US stirred numerous hostilities between the federal government and the state governments. The hostility was first witnessed in Washington State, where the first patient was reported, with the federal government wanting the state government to take full responsibility for the testing and treatment of patients. After the disease had fully established itself in the country, President Trump assured Americans that the disease was in control, ignoring warning from the CDC and other medics, to implement policies that would avert the spread of the disease. As shown in, Frontline PBS, (2020) the state governments started competing for resources in warehouses that produced PPEs. With calls to the federal government to establish take up-this role and avoid confrontations between the states, the federal governments ignored these calls.
According to the CDC, (2020) the first testing kit was developed by January 28th, which implies that the country was slow in reacting to the disease, a factor which could have contributed to the huge spread across the world.