New coronavirus 2019 (COVID 2019) is an infectious agent that first appeared in Wuhan, China at the end of the last year and it became an pandemia which means it spreads to many countries rapidly and is responsible of many deaths.
According to the latest data, 11.994.182 people are infected and 547.931 people are dead by coronavirus. (latest update in 09.07.2020)
Symptoms of the disease are high fever, cough and shortness of breath. In addition, there can be muscle pain and fatigue. Vomiting and diarrhea may accompany rarely.
In patients who are diagnosed with coronavirus infection, mortality is 2% and the risk of serious disease (respiratory failure, shock, multiple organ failure) is 5%. In 80% of patients, the disease can be treated without observing any oxygen deficiency and dyspnea. Also, this infection can be detected with no symptoms. The possibility of transmission from a sick person that is diagnosed with new coronavirus infection to you (as an healthy person) and make you fall ill is 1%.
The incubation period (that means the time after exposure and before symptoms appear) is 5-14 days.
Treatment time of an infected person is 2-6 weeks. The coronavirus could be transmitted to everyone. Fortunately, the infected group has 2% mortality risk. That means the coronavirus does not cause death in every transmitted person.
The cause of death is respiratory failure that is caused by severe lung damage. So the mortality risk is higher in older age, at people with heart or lung diseases, with depressed immune system function (people who have organ transplantation, patients with cancer).
People who were diagnosed with coronavirus are treated by supportive care. We have not got any medical treatment yet. Besides, most of infected people have just mild illness and completely recover and get back to their normal life.
These are the high-risk groups and they must see a doctor immediately.
On the other hand, any cough or high fever is not a sign of the coronavirus infection. Some upper respiratory tract infections such as flu (Influenza), pneumonia, sinusitis may cause the same symptoms. You should go to nearest doctor and undergo the tests that your doctor recommends you for differential diagnosis.
People who have been in dangerous countries or have a close contact with an infected person are at a higher risk in terms of virus transmission. It takes time for symptoms to appear after exposure to a virus, a patient might go without any problems for 2 weeks. At the same time, an infected person may have no symptoms but can infect other people. Then the disease affects many people rapidly.
No. Please note that the influenza vaccine does not protect against the coronavirus.
Although the new coronavirus first appeared in wild animals and then was transmitted to humans, now the main way is person to person transmission. It spreads through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
As far as it is known, it is not transmitted from pets to humans.
People that are not infected cannot be protected with a mask. But you can be protected against other respiratory transmitted diseases.
Yes. Both, the cancer as such and cancer treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy) and accompanying situations (COPD, nutritional deficiency) increase the risk of infection. Besides,when there is an infection, it may lead to a more serious disease. This also applies to the coronavirus infection. In conclusion: if you are a cancer patient, you may be more vulnerable to the coronavirus than others.
There is no scientific evidence that it is necessary to interrupt the cancer treatment because of the coronavirus outbreak.
You should continue medical nutrition and treatment for cancer that your doctor suggested.
Cancer patients should maintain their general protective precautions against the coronavirus infection.
The coronavirus spreads through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Therefore, the best way to prevent the disease is hygiene.
The key point of protecting ourselves from the coronavirus is hygiene of hands, food and environment (air and surfaces) like in case of other epidemic or pandemic situations.
General protective precautions against the infection:
*Hand hygiene: Frequent and procedural washing of hands (at least half a minute, or preferably for a minute) is the most important rule of hygiene. Hands should be washed with soap and plenty of water, including the back of the hands, between the fingers and the inner part of the nails. Towels should be unique for each person. Disposable hand towels are optimal, but if you use a classical towel you should change it frequently.
Just in case if there is no soap or water, 80⁰ spray cologne or disinfectants that contain at least 60% of alcohol can be used.
The coronavirus and other lots of infection agents are infecting humans through droplets that spread from infected people to other people’s mouths, noses and eyes. Those droplets could spread within a range of one meter from infected people. In addition, droplets can stick onto the surfaces (such as door handles, buttons of an elevator, tables, sinks, money, PCs, etc.) in the places where the infected people are. And the virus can continue to live on these surfaces for approximately a few days. The virus can infect you if you touch the surfaces that the infected people contaminated and then you touch your face (or your mouth, nose and eyes). That’s why the most important ways of prevention are keeping away from infected people, washing hands with soap and water (especially after coming home, before the meal and after the toilet) and cleaning the environment with soap and water or with detergents.
Sources:
1.European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
2.United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): www.cdc.gov
3.World Health Organization (WHO): www.who.int
4.Uptodate
