2019 Novel Coronavirus(nCoV): Shame of Ignorance
Was it pride that motivated China’s government to refuse support in fighting the spread of the Coronavirus — or was it fear?
Were China’s authorities preposterous for rejecting assistance offered from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO)? Or was it simply their faith in China’s healthcare system that caused them to believe they’d have the bandwidth to control the disease?
The LATE 34-year-old Dr. Li Wenliang, in particular, tried warning the authorities of the possible viral outcome, but he was silenced. It could be that the impact of the virus was, at firsthand, underestimated.
It’s tragic enough to believe an epidemic spontaneously emerged from a place we’ve lived, visited, or even more so — a place we’ve called home. No country should be subjected to the stigma of having been the origin of a deadly plague. Yet, unfortunately, many communities within the Province of Hubei are losing their economy. Several businesses are closing and transportation services are no longer available to members of the affected population. Those who have successfully fled the infectious region of China had to first be quarantined at a designated location from their transportation. They’re held there and tested for the virus before being relased into the public, as a means of yielding the outbreak.
In the beginning, Chinese officials (to include the media) may have withheld pertainent information to refrain from dishonoring their country’s name. I could image that it wasn’t exactly pride that kept the government officials from disclosing public information about the novel virus. China believed they could contain the sickness before it became a pandemic. However, their lack of knowledge about the type of coronavirus is a more reasonable explanation to why China was discreet regarding the cases that were already reported. Either way, China is going to need maximum support in yielding the numbers of infected people.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW CAN HURT US!
Here are some facts about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (nCoV) from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
The initial case of the coronavirus was reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Several cases held a strong association to seafood and meat produce, suggesting that the virus originated from human contact with animals. Although the virus my have first transpired between animal and human contact, the outbreak is rapidly growing among humans.
It is unclear exactly how the respiratory virus is transmitted from one person to another. However, it’s believed to be contracted through pathogens in the phlegm of coughs or sneezes and is transmitted in close proximity. Like most respiratory viruses, when an infected person is most symptomatic, that’s when the sickness is most contagious.
Based on studies of the respiratory virus, MERS, the CDC research shows that it could take between 2 to 14 days, after exposure to nCoV, to show symptoms.
The three major symptoms are:
Coughing
Fever
Shortness of breath
Coronavirus is a large family of viruses, which are commonly found in camels, cats, bats, and other species of animals. The new 2019 coronavirus, is the particular virus, that’s killed over 800 people in the last few months.
THE VIRAL KILLER
According to the New York Times article, Coronavirus Map: Tracking the Spread of the Outbreak, the death toll is over 1,000 and there are currently more than 71,000 active cases of people infected around the globe. Fifteen cases have been confirmed in the United States, including a 35-year-old man in Washington state, a 60-year-old couple in Chicago and seven people in California.
Of course, this is causing a state of emergency. We could potentially be wiped out by it. Thankfully, we have the intellectual warranty to grow alongside scientific evolution. We’re motivated by our fear of the unknown. We’ve gone as far as labeling the virus “novel” as in new or different because we have so much to know about the type of killer we’ve been dealt.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the W.H.O.’s Director General interviewed with the New York Times journalist. He states, “We have to understand it with caution because it can show stability for a few days and then they can shoot up,” he said. “I’ve said it many times, it’s slow now but it may accelerate.”
We’re encouraged to use our skillful researchers, rather than panic over the jaw dropping statistics. “It’s very, very early to make any predictions,” said Dr. Michael Ryan, Executive Director of the W.H.O.’s health emergencies program. “This is still a very, very intense outbreak in Wuhan and Hubei.”
PATHOGEN OF THE MASK
There’s a shortage of medical supplies such as mask, gowns, gloves and other resources for health care providers to treat the illness. In return, doctors are not able to properly diagnose their patients without the appropriate testing equipment. It seems that medical supply companies around the world can’t seem to manufacture supplies as quickly as necessary for national aid. The demand for medical supplies has caused stockpiles to deplete and prices to increase.
Now that we’re aware of the deadly microbe, it’s normal to see a person shuffling down the street, wearing a hospital masks that covers only their mouth. Some are even cautious when others cough in public, who aren’t wearing one. There are a multitude of articles, blogs and posts encouraging the use of protective gear during the flu season.
GEMOPHOB
The best way to protect ourselves during this national crisis is to reduce the risk of spreading germs. Here are a few preventative measures:
Wash our hands regularly (especially when touching objects that are used publically).
Always cover our mouths completely with a tissue or your arm when coughing or sneezing.
Keep our hands away from our eyes and mouth.
Use gloves or napkin for touching our face or public objects.
Avoid close proximity with sick people.
Avoid contact with many others when sick.
We all have to live together. The most we could do is learn how to keep each other alive and healthy.
