The situation of coronavirus infection in the Lipetsk region

The situation of coronavirus infection in the Lipetsk region

As of 08.03.2020, there are 3 cases of a new coronavirus infection in the Lipetsk region. All patients are in a satisfactory condition, are in the regional infectious diseases hospital.

The persons who were in contact with the patients are in the observatory, they have no signs of the disease.

What are coronaviruses?

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that primarily affect animals, but in some cases can be transmitted to humans. Usually, diseases caused by coronaviruses occur in a mild form, without causing severe symptoms. However, there are also severe forms, such as Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars).

What are the symptoms of the disease caused by the new coronavirus?

• Feeling tired
• Shortness of breath
• High temperature
• Cough and / or sore throat
• The symptoms are similar in many ways to many respiratory diseases, often mimic the common cold, and may resemble the flu.
• If you have similar symptoms, consider the following:
• Have you traveled in the last two weeks to high-risk areas (China and surrounding regions, Italy, and other countries where the disease has been reported)?
• Have you been in contact with anyone who has traveled to high-risk areas in the last two weeks?

If the answer to these questions is positive , the symptoms should be treated as carefully as possible.

How is the coronavirus transmitted?

Like other respiratory viruses, the coronavirus is spread through droplets that are formed when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It can also spread when someone touches any contaminated surface, such as a door handle. People become infected when they touch their mouth, nose, or eyes with contaminated hands.

Initially, the outbreak originated from animals, presumably the source was the seafood market in Wuhan, where there was an active trade not only in fish, but also in animals such as marmots, snakes and bats.

How to protect yourself from coronavirus infection?

The most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to keep your hands and surfaces clean.

Keep your hands clean, wash them frequently with soap and water, or use a disinfectant.

Also, try not to touch your mouth, nose or eyes with unwashed hands (usually such touches are unconsciously performed by us on average 15 times an hour).

Carry hand sanitizer with you so that you can clean your hands in any environment.

Always wash your hands before eating.

Be especially careful when you are in crowded places, airports, and other public transport systems. Avoid touching surfaces and objects in such places as much as possible, and do not touch your face.

Carry disposable wipes with you and always cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze, and be sure to dispose of them after use.

Do not eat food (nuts, chips, cookies, and other snacks) from shared packages or dishes if other people have dipped their fingers in them.

Avoid greeting handshakes and kisses on the cheek until the epidemiological situation has stabilized.

At work, regularly clean the surfaces and devices that you touch (computer keyboard, common office equipment panels, smartphone screen, remote controls, door handles and handrails).

How to properly wear a medical mask?

1. Carefully cover your nose and mouth with the mask and secure it to reduce the gap between your face and the mask.

2. Do not touch the mask during use. After touching the used mask, for example, to remove it, wash your hands.

3. After the mask becomes wet or dirty, put on a new clean and dry mask.

4. Do not reuse disposable masks. They should be discarded after each use and disposed of immediately after removal.

What can I do at home?

• Tell your children about the prevention of coronavirus.
• Explain to your children how germs spread and why good hand and face hygiene is important.
• Make sure that everyone in the family has their own towel, remind them not to share toothbrushes and other personal hygiene items.
• Ventilate the room frequently.

Can the new coronavirus be cured?

Yes, of course. However, there is no specific antiviral drug for the new coronavirus - just as there is no specific treatment for most other respiratory viruses that cause colds.

Viral pneumonia, the main and most dangerous complication of coronavirus infection, cannot be treated with antibiotics. In the case of pneumonia, treatment is aimed at maintaining lung function.

Who is at risk?

People of all ages are at risk of contracting the virus. The Wuhan Health Commission said in a statement that the age of the 60 most recent cases is between 15 and 88 years old.

However, as in the case of most other viral respiratory diseases, children and people over 65 years of age, people with weakened immune systems are at risk of severe disease.

Is there a vaccine for the new coronavirus?

Currently, there is no such vaccine, however, in a number of countries, including Russia, scientific organizations of Rospotrebnadzor have already begun its development.

What is the difference between a coronavirus and a flu virus?

The coronavirus and the flu virus may have similar symptoms, but they are genetically completely different.

Flu viruses multiply very quickly - symptoms appear two to three days after infection, and the coronavirus takes up to 14 days to do this.

How to determine if you have a coronavirus?

Timely diagnosis is one of the most important measures in the event of a threat of the emergence and spread of a new coronavirus in Russia. Scientific organizations of Rospotrebnadzor have developed two variants of diagnostic kits for determining the presence of the virus in the human body in less than 7 days from the moment of the appearance of information about the structure of the genes of the new coronavirus. The kits are based on a molecular genetic research method called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Using this method gives test systems significant advantages. The first is high sensitivity – using the developed test systems, it is possible to detect single copies of viruses. Second , to diagnose the disease, there is no need to take blood, it is enough to take a sample from the nasopharynx with a cotton swab. Third , the result of the analysis can be obtained in 2-4 hours. Diagnostic laboratories of Rospotrebnadzor throughout Russia have the necessary equipment and specialists to use the developed diagnostic tools.

 In the Lipetsk region, such tests are carried out on the basis of a specialized laboratory of the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Lipetsk Region.