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by Shweta Choudhary (Author), Nishant Rana (Author)
The world is facing an unprecedented public health emergency with the COVID-19 pandemic and we are fighting it together. The World Health Organization (WHO) has given the name coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to this novel disease and its virus is known as SARC-CoV- 2.). The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) finally declared it as a pandemic. Till October 7th, 2020, 35.5 million people are effected, 24.7 million recovered and 1.04 million have died throughout the world. The symptoms of COVID-19 may vary from person to person and usually mild like other influenza 80% of the patients recover without needing hospital treatment. The infection can spread easily among people through an infected person, an asymptomatic case or a carrier. It spreads from person to person among those in close contacts. COVID-19 can spread with cough, sneeze and even through speech droplets that remain suspended in air for some time. Our health facilities will face tremendous load to take care of patients on large scale if in case the outbreak involves higher number of patients. All the guidelines from protective measures, diagnosis, treatment, isolation and rehabilitation should be followed strictly. Effective prevention remains a top priority towards the curtailing of coronavirus pandemic. Speedy and aggressive identification, diagnosis, isolation and treatment of the COVID- 19 patient is very crucial in preventing its spread. Till date, there is no specific treatment for COVID-19. More severe illness requires hospitalization and hospital care depending on the patient's condition. There is no medicine and vaccine at present which can prevent or cure COVID-19. Many medicines like hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and Favipiravir was tried for the treatment of COVID-19 by researchers, including plasma therapy for critically ill patients. Dexamethasone (steroid) is the only medicine that is proven effective in critically ill patients in a controlled study from the UK. Due to disruption of routine medical services because of the COVID-19 pandemic, alternative strategies are created to support and help the patients of non-COVID diseases.
