What Is the Mystery Wuhan Virus and What Do We Know About It?
The Wuhan virus took the world by storm after its outbreak in Central China a month ago. The virus spread like wildfire across the population and forced the government to place the country into a quarantine status. The turmoil caused by this virus has left many people terrified and searching for answers.
In this post, we’re addressing all that scientists know today about the virus and all the ways you can keep yourself protected.
What Is the Wuhan Virus?
The Wuhan virus has now been identified as a coronavirus, so-called because of the crown-like spikes on its surface. This virus has been infecting animals for many years, and history has found infections dating back to the 1100s in bats and small mammals.
However, recently the infection has begun to spread in men too. The virus has the unique property of mutating itself and causing infection in multiple species.
This is not the first time the Wuhan virus has infected humans; back in 2012, the first human infection was identified. In 2020, the biggest outbreak of the virus occurred.
How is This Virus Spread?
The Wuhan virus is spread through droplet infection. This means that the virus can travel in the air via our salivary secretions and infect other people in contact. Simply talking to an infected person can cause the virus to spread.
Other modes of spread include coughing and kissing. There is still no evidence whether the virus spreads through the oral-faecal route.
How Does the Infection Present?
The Wuhan virus affects the lungs. In many cases, the infection is mild and only causes a brief, self-limiting common cold. In other cases, it can cause pneumonia and even severe respiratory distress syndrome that can be life-threatening.
In all cases, the first few signs of infection are fever, sore throat, runny nose, and other symptoms of the flu.
How Can We Prevent Wuhan Virus?
The best way to prevent the Wuhan virus is to limit your contact with an infected person. All infected patients should be placed in quarantine or isolation until the infectious period is over.
As a general safety measure, you should wear face masks at all times in places where the virus has become an epidemic.
Is There Any Treatment for Wuhan Virus?
At the moment, there is no specific treatment for the virus. Therapy is focused on relieving the symptoms of respiratory distress and pneumonia. Some antivirals have been tried but with little success.
