Corona.Virus. As of 03.04.2020

From the NY Post:

• Symptoms of the coronavirus — fever, cough, runny nose — are similar to those of the common cold or the flu.
• If you’re experiencing those symptoms but feel like you can manage them with over-the-counter drugs from the comfort of your home, experts say that’s what you should do.
• If your symptoms are more severe — a fever that won’t go away, shortness of breath and lethargy — then it’s time to call your doctor.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also suggests seeking medical help if you are showing symptoms, and you’ve been in contact with a person who has COVID-19 or you’ve traveled to or live in an area with an outbreak.

Your healthcare professional will work with your state’s health department and the CDC to figure out whether you should be tested for COVID-19.

Older people and those with underlying health conditions like diabetes, heart disease or chronic lung disease are more at risk for severe illness. If you fall under those categories and feel seriously ill, you should seek medical attention.

If you or someone you’re caring for is in dire condition — such as very short on breath, minimally responsive or unresponsive, looks blue or ashen or has low blood pressure — then call 911, said Amesh Adalja, an infectious-disease expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

Otherwise, call your doctor. If you do decide to go to the emergency room or your doctor’s office, make sure to call ahead so they can be ready to protect other patients when you arrive.

Importantly, to prevent getting sick at all, the CDC recommends avoiding people who are showing symptoms; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; and washing your hands thoroughly and frequently. This means washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

It is not necessary to wear a facemask if you are not sick. Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of the coronavirus to help prevent the spread of the disease to others.

Update as of 3/10/2020:

The coronavirus tends to take five days to cause symptoms, research suggests.


Scientists from John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, looked at 181 people who tested positive for the strain Covid-19 between 4 January and 24 February.

Results show most developed the tell-tale flu-like symptoms within five days, while nearly all (97.5%) endured fever, cough and breathlessness within 11.5 days.

The scientists predict 101 out of every 10,000 patients develop symptoms after 14 days, the typical time suspected sufferers spend in quarantine.


One expert stressed there is “little evidence to suggest a quarantine period of 14 days is not suitable”.
...

Covid-19 emerged at a seafood and live animal market in the Chinese city Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, at the end of last year.


It has since spread globally into more than 100 countries across every inhabited continent.

Covid-19 is one of seven strains of the coronavirus class that is known to infect humans.

Four of the strains cause the common cold, which tends to “come on” quicker.


“Human coronaviruses that cause common colds have mean illness-incubation periods of about three days,” said study author Professor Justin Lessler.