Interesting facts about COVID-19

                                       Interesting facts about COVID-19

We wish to share a lot of information related to the virus spreading, detection, prevention.

How COVID-19 came in humans???

Corona virus infected more than 850,000 peoples & leads to more than 45000 deaths globally. How corona virus comes in humans?

History of Worldwide viral diseases outbreaks

Spanish Flu: Spanish flu is also known as 1918 flu pandemic caused by Influenza virus. This flu started infecting from Jan 1918 onward and continued spreading of deadly infection till Dec 1920. Mortality rate was much higher and hence it was also known as the deadliest pandemics in human history.It was caused by an H1N1 virus with the genes of avian origin in USA. It was first identified in US soldiers during the First World War. These infected soldiers were sent to their countries from where this infection spreaded and became world’s most dangerous pandemics.Peoples who are infected would wake up in the morning & dies at afternoon. It is estimated that approximately around 500 million people/one third of the world population were infected and 50 million people were died due to this viral infection. After that lots of such pandemic occurred, it is mainly due to contact of human with wild animal

HIV:In 1980, HIV originated in Kinshasa. This virus is transmitted from chimpanzee in Africa to humans and also infected most of the people & leads to death.

SARS:In 2002, SARS outbreak. Causative agent of this pandemic is corona virus(Natural reservoir is bats,it is transferred to wild civet and then to humans.Fatality rate of SARS is 10%.

Bird flu:It first occurred in Hong Kong in 1997, virus came from birds to humans.

Swine flu: In 2009,Source of origin if from pigs.

MERS: Middle east respiratory syndrome caused by corona virus in bat(First host) and from bat it was transferred in camel (Second host) & then to human.

Ebola virus: First outbreak of Ebola in 1976  village Yambuku near Ebola River so disease is known as Ebola. Largest outbreak occurred in Dec 2013-jan 2016 reported with 11323 death. Other outbreak occurred recently in May 2018 & July 2019.

Nipah Virus: In Singapore & Malaysia nipah virus spread by infected pigs when they came in contact with humans. In India & Bangladesh, nipah virus is transferred to humans by eating raw dates and fruits which was partially eaten by bats. In Malaysia nipah outbreaks in 1998 by infected pigs. In Bangladesh & India year 2001 cases are reported. Recent outbreak occurred in the year 2018 and the place where this infection occurred is Kerala.

COVID-19: It is probably said that corona virus is naturally present in bat (First host) and this virus is transferred to (second host) pangolin and then due to direct contact with this animal, this virus entered inside human too & infected. 

After observing all this history of viral infection, generally question arise in our mind that “How this virus is transferred & why it is mutated??” Below mentioned factors will explain the answer of this question.

Change in habitat of wild animals

Now a days due to environmental imbalance and to satisfy humans greedy needs our nature and wild habitat is disturbed.Instead of forest, we see wild animals in zoo, some people have craze to grow wild animals at their home like a pet. In some countries, as a food people used them to eat & some people thinks that body parts of certain wild animal have medicinal property so by eating this animal they can cure their disease. It may be right or wrong but all these activities increases contact with wild animal.In china people consider that scales of pangolin have medicinal properties so people used scales as medicine. Several study is going on in this recent outbreak. It is assumed that from pangolin this virus entered in humans. Scientist are engaged to find this link and solve this mystery

There are other reasons also,as wild animals are grown by humans their food is changed and it is easily available to them as compared to the forest where they need to search for food in wild habitat. As these animals are living in city area, they are exposed to pollution too. All these factors brings to the change in these wild animal and this can be also one of the major reason which leads to mutation of viruses resided in the animal.

Change in lifestyle of humans

Human’s lifestyle is changed. There eating habit is changed.Polluted air,water,foods affect the immunity of humans in developing countries. Over all lifestyle is changing and human’s biological clock is disturbed due to which peoples are becoming more prone to disease. Poor people living in the cities are more susceptible to these viruses because of less hygiene, also these people eat less nutrient food having less percentage of protein, vitamin, and minerals in their food. This leads to poor immunity. In IT sectors, 9 to 10 hours sitting job is making people lazier and less active. During eating time they prefer fast foods and cold beverages. In urban societies mostly people have diabetes, blood pressure etc. due to lack of regular workout and unhealthy lifestyle their immunity is decreased and are then mostly infected by viruses because virus attacks the weak people not healthy individual.

Changes in environment

Human activities such as industries, travelling in different countries, expansion of cities & decreases in area of habitat for all wild life, extensive use of fossil fuel & use of other energy sources leads to pollution & changes in environment. All natural cycles of environment & animals are affected by activities of human. Due to all these changes and according to natural rule of selection, viruses also wants to continue their existence so for its survival in changing environment they are adapted by changing themselves through the process of mutation. As mutation in virus occurs, new strain of virus is developed and infects human. There is no medicine on these new strains such as COVID-19.

Suppose we will consider an animal ex. rat which came in contact with humans caused plague in past. We need to study what different diseases occurs in rat due to virus, so we will be able to prevent next pandemic. Studies done on this viruses are only 8%.Lots of study is needed in this field so that we can develop new vaccine or new medicine through this manner we will able to stop next pandemics.

                                             How this COVID-19 spreads???

SARS COV-2 commonly known as COVID-19 spreads by inhalation of virus present in droplets or aerosols released from the respiratory secretions of patients. Fecal aerosols also may be infectious. A close contact with the infected person is one of the major reason for spreading of the infection. This virus also spread from contact with contaminated surfaces or objects that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or possibly their eyes. Virus spreads through fomites (source) such as newspaper, milk pouch, used mask, infected cloth, infected hair, servants and so on. People with less immune system are prone to this virus.

How corona virus is detected in patients??

 The Virus which is present in our body is detected by using Reverse transcriptase PCR technique. PCRstands for polymerase Chain Reaction and its main function is in amplification/multiplication. For detecting corona virus we use reverse transcriptase PCR (rtPCR). As virus entered inside the human body, genetic material of virus is released inside the healthy cell & in later stage this genetic material of virus become a part of cell DNA known as provirus.

So cell of infected person contains DNA & viral genetic material. In PCR only viral genetic material is amplified .COVID-19 virus have positive sense single stranded RNA genome. This genome have different parts orf1a,orf1b this part of genome corresponds to replicase enzyme.E part of the genome is encoded for envelope protein,M & N part of genome corresponds for membrane proteins, S part of genome for S-proteins. Certain part of RNA of virus is targeted for amplification in PCR by using Primers. Primers are nucleotides which are complimentary to the targeted part of viral RNA.Primers are essential to start replication.Different laboratories targets different parts of RNA of COVID-19 & complimentary primers are used in their PCR detector. Polymerase enzyme is used for amplification of viral genome parts.This polymerase enzyme is stable in high temperature.In rtPCR technique, firstly RNA is converted to DNA. Then this DNA is denatured by exposing it to high temperature which means DNA is converted into single strand by heating.Secondly temperature is decreased so that primers are attracted exactly to the specific targeted part of viral genome. Then polymerase starts replication of that part of viral genome.These cycles repeated 30-40 times such that viral material is multiplied.SYBR green dye used to detect this viral DNA material.SYBR green dye show fluorescence only when it is attached to viral DNA.By measuring this fluorescence and comparing it with standard sample we can detect COVID-19.As more fluorescence appears,sample contains COVID-19 virus hence it is confirmed.

Precaution taken for COVID-19

Prevention

Washing your hands with soap or disinfectant is must. Cleanliness plays a major role for preventing this spreading. We must avoid a close contact with infected person. After coming back to home you should wash your hands, legs and hair. Used clothes must be washed properly and should be dried under proper sun light.

Immunity plays a key role in infection. If your immune system is strong, intake of proper nutrients, balanced diet, regular exercise all this factors will help us to resist the infection. Maximum people are infected because of their fear, negative thinking, lack of confidence and less willpower. If our mental health is powerful then it will affect our physical health too. Drinking warm water at each small interval will be the best solution for overcoming this problem.

Our body needs oxygen for proper working and this is achieved by drinking plenty of water. Filtration of surrounding air is the best way to control viral spreading. We should use natural antiviral agents such as ginger, garlic, neem, fennel seeds, turmeric powder, tomato, citrus fruits etc in our day to day life. This compounds will help us to raise our immunity too. If any symptom of this infection such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle pain, sputum production, throat pain(sore throat) observed then please approach doctor and kindly follow their instruction by strict isolation and quarantine.

Regular gargling with warm salt water twice a day will help you to keep away from virus and drinking or eating hot liquid or food is the best practice to remain healthy in such worst condition.

                                                             Lifestyle

Healthy life style is the best way to prevent attacks of viruses on our body. If we follow biological clock of our body it makes us fit and we became less prone to viral attack. Eating healthy and nutritive food, regular exercise and yoga, being happy and stress free will also play major role in healthy lifestyle. Now a days due to covid-19 spreading, we should remain in home so yoga, breathing exercise, indoor exercise will help you to stay fit 

                                                                          Diet

We should eat food at proper time. Skipping food and not eating properly at time will decreases our immunity. Healthy whole diet which provide protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals in right proportion is good for our health. Like Fruits, nuts, leafy vegetables, legumes etc. Fruits contains vitamins C, vitamins A, vitamins E which plays an important role in maintaining our health. Proper whole diet is needed to good health. Fruits also replenish our mineral deficiencies. They are very good for our immunity. So clean, thoroughly washed (disinfected now a days), organic fruits are recommended.

                                                                        Sleep

Our sleep and our health is directionally proportional to each other. Sleep have a magical power which can heal any big problem. Rest is very important for recovery. When we sleep, our body release cytokines and it kills all viral particles which is present inside us and thus recover our body & protect ourselves from attack of disease causing pathogenic microbes. To maintain our health 8-9 hours’ sleep is needed. Good sleep results in good immunity.

                                                                     Exercise

Along with diet & sleep exercise is most important as it has many benefits. It helps in boosting your immunity, too much exercise is also not recommended. When we do exercise it helps in production of soundless sleep & increase our hunger. So exercise gives us multiple benefits. Doing exercise regularly is best option to maintain a good health & immunity to prevent any type of disease.