Corona virus (covid

Definition

What is Covid-19?

Covid-19 stands for Coronavirus disease 2019. This disease is caused by the corona virus which was discovered for the first time at the end of December 2019 in Wuhan, China.

Similar to other coronavirus diseases, the COVID-19 virus also attacks the respiratory system.

The Chinese government confirmed the truth of the existence of this new virus at the world health agency, WHO, on January 7, 2020.

This virus was first introduced as the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Novel means new, so it means that this is a newly discovered corona virus and has never infected other people.

Initially, the virus that causes Covid-19 was thought to have transmitted from bats and snakes to humans. The first place of infection is thought to have occurred in the Huanan wild animal market, Hubei Province, China.

However, seeing its current development, experts believe that this virus has mutated again and can spread from human to human. WHO then agreed on the name of the virus that causes COVID-19 as SARS-CoV-2.

On January 30, 2020, WHO declared the Covid-19 outbreak a global emergency. This status was later upgraded to a global pandemic on March 11, 2020.

Indonesia itself is one of the countries that “caught up with” other countries in this outbreak.

The President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo through the head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BPNPB), has declared the Corona Virus or Covid-19 Outbreak a national emergency on March 14, 2020.

Symptoms

What are the symptoms of Covid-19?

When it first appeared in mainland China, infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus caused quite severe symptoms, including pneumonia (infection of lung tissue) and shortness of breath. However, as it progressed, it was found that most cases showed milder symptoms of the coronavirus.

The spokesperson for the handling of the Covid-19 case of the Indonesian Ministry of Health, dr. Achmad Yurianto, even said that some of the Covid-19 symptoms were asymptomatic, aka not causing symptoms.

Even so, in general, infection with the new corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) causes symptoms such as:

• Quite high fever
• Cough with phlegm
• Difficulty breathing
• Chest pain when breathing or coughing

The severity of Covid-19 symptoms can range from very mild to severe. People who are older or have previous medical conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, may be at a higher risk of developing more serious diseases or symptoms.

Therefore, the effect of COVID-19 on each person may be different, depending on their current health condition.

In general, the symptoms that appear are usually similar to those of other respiratory diseases, such as influenza.

In addition, the symptoms of COVID-19 also did not only attack the respiratory system. In certain cases, this viral infection also causes digestive problems, such as diarrhea. In fact, some people have reported losing their sense of smell and taste when infected with the coronavirus.

When should you see a doctor?

Symptoms that are similar to other respiratory diseases may make you confused about whether you have the common cold or the new corona virus infection, namely SARS-CoV-2.

Tell your doctor right away if you experience signs and symptoms of Covid-19, or when you think you have been exposed to the virus.

Quoted from the website of the United States Disease Control and Prevention Agency, CDC, you also need to contact a doctor if you have been in close contact with someone who is known to have Covid-19 or lives in or has just traveled from the area where the new corona virus spreads.

The following are emergencies that require immediate assistance:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• Confused
• Bluish lips or face

Cause

What causes corona virus infection (Covid-19)?

As already mentioned, Covid-19 is caused by a new type of corona virus that has never been previously identified in humans. This new corona virus was later named SARS-CoV-2.

Journal of Medical Virology mentioned that the initial cases of the disease were caused by exposure to wild animal meat at the Huanan seafood market, which also sells wild animals, such as poultry and bats.

The study concluded that the corona virus that infected humans at the end of December 2019 was from snakes.

What increases the risk of getting Covid-19?

The following are some groups of people who are at risk of contracting the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2:

• Elderly
• People with certain health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease.

Apart from being more at risk of Covid-19, people in the above group also have a worsening risk if they are infected with the SARS-CoV-2 type corona virus. This means that the death rate for people in that group if they contract the disease is much greater than those who are younger and without any previous health conditions.

Until now, the death rate of the elderly (elderly) is 17-18% of the total number of deaths in the world.

However, it is possible for younger people, even children, to catch COVID-19 and develop serious conditions.

Transmission

How is Covid-19 transmitted?

At the beginning of its appearance, this case was believed to have been transmitted from direct contact with an animal carrying the coronavirus.

Even so, the number of infections that is increasingly widespread even outside China is believed that Covid-19 is transmitted from person to person through fluids secreted by the respiratory system (droplets). The saliva that comes out when talking or sneezing is droplets.

Some of the possibilities that can transmit the new corona virus (SARS-CoV-2), include:

• Through droplets (saliva that comes out when coughing and sneezing without closing the mouth, even speaking).
• Through the touch or handshake of an infected person.
• Touching a surface or object that has the virus, then touching the nose, eyes or mouth.

SARS-CoV-2, the corona virus that causes Covid-19 has different life spans when outside the body (surface of objects), for example:

• Copper surface, able to live up to 4 hours
• Cardboard / cardboard, up to 24 hours
• Plastic and stainless steel, up to 2-3 hours

Initially, it was not known whether SARS-CoV-2 could be transmitted through the air such as influenza or not. However, WHO appealed to medical personnel that the saliva of Covid-19 patients can stay in the air.

The ability of this new virus to mutate is also one theory that is believed to make it easily transmitted.

Patients who have been declared cured of corona virus infection (SARS-CoV-2) can still transmit Covid-19 to other people. This is stated in a recent study entitled Positive RT-PCR Test Results in Patients Recovered From COVID-19 as reported from JAMA Journal.

Diagnosis and Treatment

How to diagnose the corona virus (Covid-19)?

Here are some things your doctor may do to diagnose Covid-19 that might be infected with you.

• Check your medical history and symptoms
• Ask for travel history.
• Perform a physical examination.
• Do a blood test.
• Carry out laboratory tests for sputum, from the throat, from the nose or from other respiratory specimens.

Several methods are also used to diagnose the SARS-CoV-2 corona virus which causes Covid-19, namely:

Quick test (rapid test)

Rapid test or rapid test is a test of immunoglobulins as screening early. This immunoglobulin test is an examination of the body's antibody reaction to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. If antibodies to this virus are detected in the body, a person can be said to be positive for Covid-19, even though he has no symptoms.

This test is easier to do than the PCR test for Covid-19. Even so, the interpretation of the examination results must be confirmed by a competent health worker.

The Indonesian government conducted this test with the aim of finding out more quickly the extent of the spread of the corona virus so that it could be suppressed. However, this test has a lower sensitivity.

That is why, people who test positive for this test will continue to confirm again by taking the Covid-19 RT-PCR test.

Covid-19 RT-PCR

Reporting from the website of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Covid-19 can be diagnosed by carrying out the Covid-19 RT-PCR test. You may be more familiar with it as the PCR test for Covid-19.

Covid-19 RT-PCR aims to determine the presence of nucleic acids (genetic material, DNA) from SARS-CoV-2 in the upper and lower respiratory tracts.

Examination is carried out by taking a sample of fluid from the respiratory tract of a person suspected of being infected with the corona virus that causes Covid-19. In Indonesia itself, the method most often used to take samples is swab.

This method is done by rubbing a cotton swab (cotton bud) to take a sample of fluid / mucus from the throat.

The stages of the diagnosis of Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2)

The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia uses several statuses related to Covid-19 before establishing a diagnosis of this disease.

Quoted from Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19), The following are the stages of the patient before he is definitely tested positive for Covid-19:

1. People in Monitoring (ODP)

A person who has a fever (more than 38 ℃) or a history of fever, or symptoms of respiratory system disorders such as runny nose, sore throat, or cough. ODP also includes people who have a history of traveling to areas where outbreaks have occurred.

2.Patient under surveillance (PDP)

Also called suspect, namely someone with Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI). PDP is also defined as a person who has a history of travel to the site of the outbreak occurring in the last 14 days before symptoms developed. PDP is also someone who has had contact with people with confirmed Covid-19 in the past 24 days.

3. Probable Case

People who fall into this category are patients under surveillance (PDP) who are being screened for Covid-19. Even so, at this stage it still cannot be concluded whether it is positive or not.

4. Case confirmation

People at this stage have been determined to have Covid-19 through positive laboratory examination results.

How to treat Covid-19?

Because this is a new virus, there is no specific treatment to cure Covid-19 which has now become a pandemic. Most people with illness due to SARS-CoV-2 will usually recover on their own.

This is evident from the many cases of recovery that have occurred, especially in China.

Although there is no specific drug yet, there are several treatments that can help relieve the symptoms of the disease caused by the new corona virus (SARS-CoV-2), such as:

• Take medication to reduce symptoms of illness and flu, but do not give aspirin to children
• Use a humidifier or take a hot shower to soothe sore throats and coughs
• If you have mild illness, you need to drink plenty of water and rest at home

However, experts do not recommend using ibuprofen to treat symptoms of the corona virus. This is because in certain patients ibuprofen actually worsens the condition of COVID-19 patients.

Prevention

How to prevent the corona virus (Covid-19)?

Until now, no vaccine has been found to prevent the corona virus that causes Covid-19. Research is still being done to quickly find an antidote.

Most recently (18/3), researchers in the United States and China have just begun conducting the first trials of the vaccine in humans.

Even so, you can still do something to prevent Covid-19, including:

• Wash your hands more often with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds (twice a song Happy Birthday).
• If soap and water are not available, use them hand sanitizer alcohol based.
• Avoid shaking hands with other people for a while.
• Cover your mouth when coughing and sneezing with a tissue and wash your hands immediately.
• Stay at home if you are sick, aka do self-isolation.
• Do it social distancing or give a distance of at least 1 meter from other people, especially those who are coughing or sneezing.
• Eat healthy and nutritious foods to help maintain endurance.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.