What is coronavirus and how is it spread?

Nowadays the coronavirus (COVID19) has taken center stage due to the outbreak declared in Wuhan (Hubei province, China), on December 31, 2019. What is the coronavirus? Are we at risk of an epidemic?

What are the viruses called Coronaviruses?

Coronaviruses are a single-stranded RNA virus type that are characterized by causing, fundamentally, respiratory symptoms in humans. They are transmitted between animals and people, most frequently affecting animals. This type of virus is responsible for less than 25% of common colds but a slight change in its genetic chain can cause more severe respiratory symptoms. Coronaviruses often cause severe respiratory symptoms with pulmonary pneumonic infiltrates that can be seen on a chest X-ray. In general, respiratory tract infections caused by viruses account for 50% of all acute respiratory infections.

When it comes to normal viruses or banal the infection usually lasts a few days and the symptom are mild:

• Nasal congestion
• Rhinitis
• Fever
• Watery mucus
• Sneezing
• Otitis (when complicated)

What are the symptoms of Coronavirus?

• The most common symptoms include:
• Cough
• Odynophagia (or sore throat)
• Fever
• Feeling short of breath

In more serious cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, shortness of breath, kidney failure, and even death. The most complicated cases generally occur in elderly people or those who suffer from some other disease of the heart, lung or immunity problems, among other examples.

How is it spread?

The main form of contagion is direct contact with the respiratory secretions of infected patients. Therefore, it is recommended to follow a series of precautions,:

• Avoid the contact with affected people or who have contacted infected during the first days
• Covering your nose and mouth when sneezing
• Using tissues
• Wash your hands frequently
• Keeping the respiratory tract moist, for example by washing with seawater or physiological saline

If we have traveled to Wuhan and, in addition we have been in contact with a possible infected person, it is essential to go for a medical visit to be evaluated. Likewise, in the event of any symptoms, especially respiratory symptoms, an infection should be ruled out. Currently it is recommended not to travel to China due to the high risk of contagion and.

Situation of Spain against the Coronavirus

Nowadays, more than 80,000 people are infected worldwide. Although many of those affected overcome the virus without problems, the number of deaths from COVID19 already exceeds 3,000 dead. In Spain, several cases have been detected in recent weeks, both in the Peninsula and in the Canary and Balearic Islands. The total number of infected in Spain currently amounts to 91 people, 89 are still active while two cases have been discharged and have successfully overcome the virus. The Spanish health authorities are focusing in the last hours on 4 active foci in the country which could be the point of origin of contagion (Basque Country, Malaga, Catalonia and Torrejón de Ardoz in Madrid).

How did the COVID 19 coronavirus start?

When the health authorities warn of an outbreak, refer to the appearance of a epidemic in a localized and small geographic area, for a short period of time. When it is possible to contain or the number of cases has remitted, reducing the number of hospitalized and without new cases appearing, it is said that the outbreak has been controlled.

This outbreak in Wuhan arose with the appearance of a series of people showing respiratory symptoms that evolved to one, in principle, of unknown cause. Subsequently, it was discovered that most of the infected patients they had in common being Huanan fish market workers (Wuhan) or regular visitors. The epidemiologists focused their attention on the study and detection of the causal agent in order to quickly identify it. To do this, a study of those infected and their contacts was carried out, which allowed isolate the responsible strain officially communicated on January 9, 2019 (a new coronavirus: 2019-nCoV). This made it possible to rule out other common causative agents, such as influenza influenza virus or rhinovirus.

For now, the market has been provisionally closed, surveillance in the area has been intensified and monitoring measures have been expanded, as well as epidemiological studies, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) When an outbreak or epidemic appears, epidemiologists must take a series of precautions to keep the population protected and prevent the focus from expanding:

• Isolate patients
• Identify the focus and isolate the strain
• Avoid with preventive measures
• Inform the public

There are still many questions that are unknown

Human-to-human transmission confirmed

The fact that you confirm your human-to-human transmission increases pressure on the Chinese government to avoid a public health crisis. That is why the creation of a coordination group to fight this outbreak has been announced.

Savia, MAPFRE's online platform, resolves your medical questions for free

, MAPFRE's digital health services platform, makes available of clients and non-clients of the company, for free, the possibility of chatting with the specialists in your medical chart.

Do you need to get one to detect covid-19? You can book an appointment at the best price in the best centers.

MAPFRE's digital health services platform where you can consult all your medical questions by chat or video consultation for free.

SIGN UP FREE

Dra. Ana García and Dra. Gemma Cardona Family Medicine Specialist

• It seems that the transmission would be through contact with respiratory secretions of animals infected or respiratory secretions of people (coughing or sneezing of sick people). These secretions would infect another person if they come in contact with your nose, eyes, or mouth. As a reassurance, airborne transmission at distances greater than one or two meters seems unlikely.
• Others similar viruses like SARS They were only transmissible after the onset of symptoms. But in the case of Coronavirus 2019 (n-CoV) At the moment there is not enough evidence in this regard, although there is some information available that points to it.
  • The outbreak was caused by exhibitions at a fish market in Wuhan city, Hubei province, China, on December 31, 2019.
  • No case has been detected outside of this city but the market has been closed, isolation of those affected and increased surveillance.
  • The main symptoms They are: fever, dyspnea, and invasive pneumonic infiltrates in both lungs observable on chest radiographs.