The killer coronavirus has left several dead and thousands more infected. The new strain of coronavirus first emerged in the city of Wuhan last month. Since then, the virus has been detected in other parts of China as well as Japan, Thailand, South Korea and the Philippines. The World Health Organisation is yet to decide if the outbreak constitutes a global panic health emergency. Still, you should be well aware of the symptoms to rule out any possibilities of suffering from the deadly virus. We give you a breakdown of how the infection progresses in the body.

How Do The Symptoms Of The Coronavirus Progress?

The new strain of the virus belongs to a larger family of the virus, which causes illnesses ranging from the common cold to acute respiratory syndrome. While infection with a type of coronavirus can result in symptoms no more dangerous than a cold, the new strain can have some severe effects. If you are affected by the virus, fever, cold and shortness of breath will be the first symptoms. In more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

How Does The Virus Spread?

Being an airborne virus, coronavirus spreads like cold and flu. The virus then affects the respiratory system causing lesions in the lungs. The novel coronavirus was not previously identified in humans, so there is little information about the transmission of the disease. But since the early symptoms are similar to respiratory infections, it can pose complications for screening efforts. However, health officials believe that the virus has mutated and it can transmit from people to people. Coronavirus Threat : Mandatory Health Screening of Passengers from China at 7 Indian Airports

How to Know If Coronavirus Has Infected You?

In most cases, you won't know if you have a different cold-causing virus or coronavirus. But the novel coronavirus can spread to the lower respiratory tract and cause pneumonia. People with weakened immune systems or older people are more likely to get affected by the virus. China's Coronavirus Outbreak: How Susceptible Are Indians To The Mysterious New Pneumonia Infection? Here Are the Causes and the Symptoms

How to Prevent the Infection?

The WHO recommends covering mouth while coughing and sneezing as well as washing hands regularly. The organisation has also warned people to avoid close contact with anyone with symptoms of respiratory illnesses like coughing and sneezing. Novel Coronavirus: Indian Health Ministry Issues Travel Advisory After Outbreak in China

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for coronavirus yet. An outbreak of a similar virus in 2003 killed more than 800 people worldwide in 37 countries.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 22, 2020 01:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).