Covid-19

WHO classified Covid 19 as a global pandemic a few weeks ago. It has infected more than 400,000 people and killed over 18,000. The numbers are also increasing exponentially thus making the task of fighting the spread everyone’s job. 

Here are some signs you may have the illness:

The World Health Organization, fresh from a mission to China, where cases are finally declining, reports the illness can present in different ways, ranging from no symptoms at all to severe pneumonia.

Some symptoms are more frequently seen than others. Based on confirmed cases, the WHO says 88 percent of infected people experienced a fever and 67.7 percent had a dry cough. Less frequent symptoms include thick mucus from coughs (sputum) (33.4 percent), shortness of breath (18.6 percent), sore throat (13.9 percent), and headache (13.6 percent).

These symptoms emerge five or six days after infection on average, but can show up in as little as a day or as much as two weeks after exposure. 

Source: https://www.vox.com/2020/3/3/21161724/coronavirus-symptoms-covid-19-sars-cough-fever

What to do?

Don’t panic. Most people who get infected get better, often on their own with just rest, fluids, and fever medication. If you are advised to stay home, there are several other measures you should take as advised by WHO and the Ministry of Health.

The most important step is to avoid exposing other people to the illness, especially in the early stages of symptoms, when the disease is most contagious. That means staying home from school or work, avoiding public transit or ride shares, and separating yourself from the people and animals in your home. It also means avoiding sharing household items like towels, dishes, and bedding.

Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue over your mouth and nose. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Clean the surfaces in your home that you come into contact with regularly, like counters, doorknobs, bedside tables, keyboards, and phones. It is possible that some of the viral particles end up on surfaces (door handles, subway poles, coins) where they might remain viable.

When leaving your home, wear a surgical face mask to avoid spreading the virus — if you’re sick. Health officials say that masks do little to protect the wearer if they aren’t infected. 

Officials are also urging the public not to hoard or buy masks they do not need because they are needed by health workers and are in short supply.

All the while, pay close attention to your symptoms. Call 8335 or 942 if your symptoms get worse. 

These steps may seem tedious, but remember that they serve to protect not just you but also the people around you. Controlling an outbreak is everyone’s job.

Source: https://www.vox.com/2020/3/3/21161724/coronavirus-symptoms-covid-19-sars-cough-fever