COVID -19

COVID – 19: HISTORY,

IMPACT & TREATEMENT

NAME – PARV NAGPAL

CLASS – 9th A
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INTRODUCTION:-

COVID – 19 is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute

respiratory syndrome. The first case of COVID – 19 was

identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The disease

has now spread worldwide, leading to an ongoing

pandemic. Some SARS-CoV-2 1 common symptoms include cough,

fever, headache, lost of smell and taste. A third of people who are infected

do not develop symptoms. Of those who

develop symptoms older people are at higher

risk of developing severe symptoms.

Transmission of COVID – 19 occurs when

people are exposed to virus containing

breathe exhaled by an infected person.

Touching a contaminated surface or object

may lead to infection. People remain infectious for up to ten days after the

onset of symptoms in moderate cases

and up to twenty days in severe cases.

Several testing methods have been

developed to identify the disease. The

standard diagnostic method is by

detection of the virus' nucleic acid by real-time reverse transcription

polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR), transcription-mediated

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amplification (TMA), or by reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal

amplification (RT-LAMP) from a nasopharyngeal swab. The use of mask has

been highly recommended and made mandatory to prevent this disease.

Other preventive measures are social distancing washing hands, regularly

and keeping unwashed hands away from the face. Several vaccines have

been developed since now to treat the infection.

History (Origin of corona virus, types)

The virus is thought to be natural and of an animal origin. The first human

cases of COVID – 19 were identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019.

There are several theories where the

first case of the pandemic was

originated. Evidences suggest that

COVID-19 originated from a virus in

bats. According to the Chinese it was

Figure 1 origin of COVID – 19 linked to the Huanan Seafood

Wholesale Market, which also sold live animals. The World Health

Organization declared the COVID – 19 outbreaks a

Public Health Emergency of International on 30

January 2020, and a Pandemic on 30 January

2020. The first case of COVID-19 in India was

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reported on January 27, 2020

in Kerala and till today 2, 97,

00,313 cases have been reported in India. Italy had its first confirmed cases

on 31 January 2020.There are total seven types of human corona virus Four

human corona viruses produce symptoms that are generally mild:-

1. Human corona virus OC43

2. Human corona virus HKU1
3. Human corona virus 229E
4. Human corona virus NL63

Three human corona viruses produce potentially severe symptoms:

1. Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus (SARS-CoV)

2. Middle East respiratory syndrome-related corona virus (MERS-CoV)
3. Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)

Geographic distribution (COVID – 19

According to WHO Corona virus disease (COVID-19) situation report, on 18th

December 2020 a total number of 75,641,366 cases of COVID - 19 were

confirmed with a total of 1,674,733 deaths and total recovery of 53,089,262.

COVID -19

.The top 10 countries with the highest infection include United States of

America, India, Brazil, Russia, France, Turkey, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain

and Argentina. All the regions of the world reported at least one case. The

American region reported the highest number of cases. Table 1 below

represents the regional number of confirmed COVID-19 cases as of 18th

December, 2020.

Table 1

The countries with the highest number of confirmed cases and death

according to situation report by WHO as of December 18th, 2020, is

presented in Table (2).

18000000
16000000
14000000
12000000
10000000
8000000
6000000 Confirmed cases
4000000
2000000 Total death
0
Recovered cases
USA
India

Turkey
Brazil

Italy
Russia
France

United Kingdom

Spain
Argentina

The outbreak of the

deadly corona virus disease (COVID-19) that first emanated from China has
COVID -19

spread quickly across the globe. The pattern of global distribution across

continents showed a progressive increase in the order of Americas, Europe,

Asia, Africa and Oceania.

Mode of Spread:-

The disease is mainly spread when people inhale drops and particles that

infected people release as they breathe, talk, cough or sneeze. The chances

of spread of COVID – 19 are more when people

are in close proximity to each other. However

infection can occur at long distances,

particularly indoors. Asymptomatic people can

also spread this disease. However, the

infectious period of asymptomatic cases has

been observed to be shorter with faster viral

clearance. A person can also get COVID – 19 by

touching a contaminated surface or an object. It very rarely transmits from

mother to baby during pregnancy. Infectious particles range in size the

largest droplets of respiratory fluids do not travel far and have chances of

landing on eyes nose or mouth to

infect, but airborne transmission can

occur at long distances mainly in

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locations that are poorly ventilated.

Signs and symptoms:-

COVID-19 affects different people in different ways. Most infected people will

develop mild to moderate illness and recover without hospitalization. The

most common symptoms of COVID – 19 are:-

• fever
• dry cough
• tiredness

The less common symptoms of COVID – 19 are:-

• aches and pains

• sore throat
• diarrhea
• conjunctivitis
• headache
• loss of taste or smell
• a rash on skin, or discoloration of fingers or toes

Some of the serious symptoms are:-

• difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

• chest pain or pressure
• loss of speech or movement

It is preferred to seek doctor if anyone is having serious symptoms

Diagnosis:-

COVID – 19 can temporarily be diagnosed on the basis of symptoms and

confirmed using RT-PCR or other nucleic testing. The standard methods of

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testing for the presence of SARS–CoV-2 are

nucleic acid tests which detects the presence of

viral RNA fragment. However its ability to

determine duration of patients is limited. The

test is done on respiratory samples obtained

by nasopharyngeal swab (Figure 2). Several

laboratories and Figure 2 :- nasopharyngeal swab

companies have developed serological tests, which

detect antibodies produced by the body. Ct scan can

also be helpful to diagnose COVID-19 in individuals

3. CT scan
with a high clinical suspicion of infection but are not

recommended for routine screening. A large study in China compared chest

CT results to PCR and demonstrated that

though imaging is less specific for the

infection, it is faster and more sensitive.

Chest x-ray was found to have limited value in

the initial diagnosis of COVID-19 with a

4 X - ray
sensitivity of about 69%.

Treatment options:-

Most cases of COVID – 19 are mild. Patients who have mild illness usually

recover at home, with supportive care such as paracetamol or NSAIDs

COVID -19

To relieve symptoms, proper

intake of fluids, rest, nasal

breathing and isolation. It may be

useful for people who are at high

risk for complications to have a

pulse oximeter to self monitor the

oxygen saturation. People who

have moderate disease should be

monitored closely and sometimes be hospitalized. Taking care of oxygen

level of moderate patient is very important. People with more severe cases

may need treatment in hospital. In those with low oxygen levels, use of

the glucocorticoid dexamethasone is strongly recommended, as it can reduce

the risk of death. ECMO) has been used to address the issue of respiratory

failure, but its benefits are still under consideration.

Complications:-

Complications may include pneumonia, acute respiratory distress

syndrome (ARDS), multi-organ failure, septic shock, and

death. Cardiovascular complications may include heart

failure, arrhythmias, heart inflammation, and thrombosis,

particularly venous thromboembolism. Approximately 20–30% of people who

present with COVID-19 have elevated liver enzymes, reflecting liver injury.
COVID -19

Neurologic manifestations include seizure, stroke, encephalitis, and Guillain–

Barré syndrome (which includes loss of motor functions). Following the

infection, children may

develop pediatric multisystem

inflammatory syndrome, which has

symptoms similar to Kawasaki

disease, which can be fatal. In very

rare cases,

acute encephalopathy can occur,

and it can be considered in those who have been diagnosed with COVID-19

and have an altered mental status. In the case of pregnant women, it is

important to note that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, pregnant women are at increased risk of becoming seriously ill

from COVID-19. This is because pregnant women with COVID-19 appear to

be more likely to develop respiratory and obstetric complications that can

lead to miscarriage, premature delivery and intrauterine growth restriction.

General precautions and preventive care:-

Preventive measures to reduce the

chances of infection include getting

vaccinated, staying at home, wearing

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a mask in public, avoiding crowded places, keeping distance from others,

ventilating indoor spaces, managing potential exposure durations, washing

hands with soap and water often and for at least twenty seconds, practicing

good respiratory hygiene, and avoiding touching the eyes, nose, or mouth

with unwashed hands. Those diagnosed with COVID-19 or who believe they

may be infected are advised by the CDC to stay home except to get medical

care, call ahead before visiting a healthcare provider, wear a face

mask before entering the healthcare provider's office and when in any room

or vehicle with another person, cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue,

regularly wash hands with soap and water and avoid sharing personal

household items.

Vaccine:-

A COVID – 19 vaccine provides acquired immunity against SARS-CoV-2, the

virus that causes corona virus disease. The COVID-19 vaccines are widely

celebrated for their role in reducing the

spread, severity, and death caused by

COVID-19.In Phase III trials, several

COVID-19 vaccines have demonstrated efficacy as high as 95% in

preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infections. As of June 2021, 18 vaccines

are authorized by at least one national regulatory authority for public use.

Many countries have implemented phased distribution plans that prioritize

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those at highest risk of complications, such as the elderly, and those at high

risk of exposure and transmission, such as healthcare workers. As of

20 June 2021, 2.66 billion doses of

COVID-19 vaccine have been administered

worldwide based on official reports from

national health agencies. By December

2020, more than 10 billion vaccine doses

had been preordered by countries, with

about half of the doses purchased by high-income countries comprising 14%

of the world's population.

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• https://www.who.int

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• https://today.line.me

• https://eeagrants.org

• https://labblog.uofmhealth.org