april, 2020 | The healTh
| Hot Topic |
person exhibits symptoms after exposure are
currently believed to be as few as two days
or as long as 14 days based on information
released by the CDC.
What is the treatment for patients
infected with Covid-19?
Currently, there is no vaccination or specifi c
treatment for human coronaviruses
infections. Most of those infected usually
recover on their own. Pain, fever medicines
and adequate hydration by drinking plenty of
fl uids are the mainstay treatment for most.
The story
of Covid-19
in a nutshell
by ASSOC PROF
DR TAN TOH LEONG
T
he world was stunned when in
December 2019, an outbreak of
lung infection (pneumonia) cases
caused by a novel Coronavirus
(2019-nCoV), emerged in
Wuhan, China. the virus and the
disease were later renamed to
SARS-CoV-2 and Cororonavirus
Disease-19 (Covid-19) respectively. At the time
this article was written, Covid-19 has claimed
over 3000 lives and infected over 86,000
people in China and is proving to be a grave
public health threat.
What is SARS-CoV-2?
SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the Coronavirus
group, so named because they appear like
crowns (coronas) when viewed under the
electron microscope. they are everywhere,
are zoonotic of origin (can be transmitted
between animals and humans) and
are responsible for about a third of all
common cold cases. there are four major
coronavirus categories namely alpha, beta,
delta and gamma. Most infect only their
specifi c animal host. Only alpha and beta
coronaviruses are known to evolve and infect
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humans causing widespread outbreaks
such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS), Middle east Respiratory Syndome
(MeRS) and now Covid-19.
What are the modes of transmission?
Covid-19 originally emerged from an
animal source but is now spreading from
human-human. transmission of this virus
occurs through the air by coughing and
sneezing, close personal contact such as
touching or shaking hands and touching
of surfaces contaminated with the virus
and then touching the mouth, eyes or nose.
Other modes of transmission are still being
investigated.
What are the main symptoms caused by
Covid-19?
Symptoms have been found to vary
in severity ranging from mild general
symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness
of breath and muscle aches to more serious
presentations such as pneumonia leading
to sepsis, multi-organ failure and death
especially in persons with other concurrent
illnesses and in the elderly. the time that a
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Feature: Covid-19
Did we handle
it right?
04
MONTH OF APRIL, 2020
RM5.00 | PP19292/03/2018 (034850)
www.sihatmalaysia.my
Top Glove Corporation Bhd
Executive Chairman Tan Sri Dr Lim
Wee Chai believes good health is the
key to wealth and success. 10-12
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is My
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tel: +6 03 3359 1166 Fax: +6 03 3358 0303
by DR DIAN
NASRIANA
What can I do to protect myself and my
family?
everyone should play their part in reducing
the risk of Covid-19 transmission by
following the general measures described
below.
• Frequent handwashing with soap and
water or alcohol-based hand rub after
contact with ill people, before, during or
after preparing food or eating and after
handling animals or animal waste.
• Practice respiratory hygiene by covering
your mouth and nose with fl exed elbows
or tissue (not hands) when coughing
or sneezing (cough etiquette) and
immediately disposing off the tissue into
closed bins afterwards followed by hand
washing.
• Maintain social distancing of at least
one metre between yourself and other
people especially those who exhibit
signs of respiratory illness to prevent
transmission of airborne virus in the
respiratory droplets.
• Avoid unprotected contact with live
animals including poultry and birds.
• Ensure proper cooking of meats before
consumption.
• Don face masks properly whenever you’re
experiencing symptoms of respiratory
illness.
• Seek immediate medical attention if
you start feeling any respiratory illness
within 14 days after returning from
travels especially from China. If you have
no symproms, some experts have advised
to self-isolate, not going to public places
and not sharing food or personal utensils
for at least 14 days.
• Seek information from reputable sources
(WhO, CDC,and KKM).
• As always, prevention is better than cure.
— The Health
Associate Professor Dr Tan Toh Leong is a
Consultant Emergency Physician, Faculty
of Medicine, UKM and Dr Dian Nasriana
Nasuruddin a Pathology Department, PPUKM,
HTCM.
21