Editorial
Can you recognise this Structure. this is not an ice-cream cone, but deadly corona virus
Well by now most of you are aware what is Corona. But what COVID-19 stands for? Its Corona Virus Disease and 19 is the year of its outbreak. The virus family is coronaviridae and it’s a single stranded RNA virus which mainly affects animals especially civet cats, camels and bats.
The clinical features ranges from asymptomatic to severe pneumonia like symptoms and mostly people die due to respiratory distress, and often lying comorbid conditions like heart failure and kidney failure.
The population who are affected most are immunocompromised individuals, older people and persons having chronic disorders like asthma, diabetics, and cardiovascular disease. The disease spread by droplet infection, and close surface contacts, the viability of virus is different on different contact surfaces.
Laboratory investigations which are helpful in this case is CBC, TLC, DLC where we can find leukopenia, lymphopenia, LDH levels might be deranged, increased liver enzymes, increased ESR and D-Dimer, confirmatory test is RT- PCR, and other which measures antibody in blood serum both of them are costly and time taking. Now we also have made in India Covid-19 test kit available which is been developed by Mylab Discovery Solutions Pvt Ltd.
Should everyone be tested?? The answer is No. According to CDC and WHO guidelines only symptomatic patients who have fever cough with difficulty in breathing. WHO recommends that all suspected cases should be tested for COVID-19. People travelling from endemic area. The areas where testing needs cannot be met, priority should be given to detection and protection of vulnerable patients and health care workers. The first symptomatic individual in a closed setting (e.g.: in schools, prisons, hospitals) to quickly identify outbreaks and ensure the containment measures. All others suspected cases might be considered as probable cases and can be put into quarantine without additional testing.
The treatment is mainly supportive; no vaccine has yet got FDA approval though trials are going on. Some drugs have shown promising effect like Taclizumab, Anakinra, antiviral agents like lopinavir and ritonavir. Some studies have shown the beneficial effect of hydroxychloroquine but till now no specific drug treatment has yet been proposed by WHO.
So in a nutshell what we should do to combat this pandemic: The one and only remedy is self-isolation, so that the chain of transmission breaks. Many countries which have achieved success in combating this deadly disease suggest complete isolation. The less we move out the less are the chances of infection. The community transmission phase is very quick so to avoid the spread the chain has to be broken. Proper washing of hands with soap, Use of sanitizers containing alcohol not less than 60-70%. Wearing of masks if visiting a crowded place like market, hospitals are some of the measures which can be taken. Maintain proper hygiene and keep vigilant, in case we see a suspected case near us, try to get him/her investigated. Older people and people with co-morbid conditions are more prone so be watchful.
From a doctors Desk:
“We are in Hospitals for the betterment of you, you please be at your home for betterment of us”
Dr. Mohammad Ashraf Alam
MBBS, MD, CCD