Coronavirus (COVID) Pandemic And What You Should Know

Coronaviruses are large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from common cold to more severe diseases, such as pneumonia, MERS and MARS. These viruses are protein particles coated with phospholipids (Fats); hence they are easily eliminated by soap, >65 % alcohol and bleach etc.

The novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that emerged in the city of Wuhan, China, December 2019 has since caused a large scale COVID-19 pandemic in an unimaginable proportion.

UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NOVEL-Cov-2 (COVID-19) VIRUS:

1. Can remain intact in the air up to 3 hours (?respiratory droplets and airborne disease)
2. Stable on cardboard for 24 hours
3. Stable on metal for 42 hours
4. Stable on plastic for 72 hours

 SYMPTOMS ASOCIATED WITH COVID-19 INCLUDE:

• Fever
• Dry cough after 2 to 7 days
• Mild breathing difficulties at the outset of the disease
• Gastrointestinal problems, including diarrhea
• General body aches
• High Fever (100.4 oF)
• Chest pain

 SEVERE COMPLICATION MAY LEAD TO:

• Pneumonia
• Kidney and other organ failure
• Death

 TRANMISSION

• Cough or sneezes from infected persons
• Touching contaminated objects

 PREVENTION

• Hand washing with soap and water
• Keep safe distance (social distancing) from one another to avoid human to human transmission
• Stay at home if possible, by following governmental regulations
• Cough into your elbow or using tissue paper with appropriate disposal
• It is in my opinion that you wear face mask and hand gloves if feasible, when in public places including going out for groceries, pharmacies,

 TREATMENT

No treatment is currently available other than supportive care (treating symptoms). But there  are promising treatment options in consideration that may help control this disease. Such treatment regimens include the use of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine (emergency approval recently by the FDA), azithromycin in combination with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, anti-viral drugs,  convalescent sera from individuals who had contracted the disease and recovered from it, and vaccines among others.

CONCLUSION

These are challenging times. I believe that if we adhere to governmental guidelines by staying at home, observing social distancing and adopting appropriate hygiene, we will be able to win the war against this unseen enemy. If you have any question, please do not hesitate to contact us at dearkmedicalcenter.com or by phone at 980-888-8011. We offer telehealth services as well, so that you may receive the appropriate counseling and treatment you need at the comfort of your home.

1. Arturo Casadevall, et al., Clin Invest. March 13, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI138003.
2. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

AUTHOR

E. William Iyamu, MD, PHDE. William Iyamu, MD, PHD, of DeArk Medical Center is a board-certified internal medicine doctor. He received his Medical Training at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS in 2008 and then completed his Internal Medicine Internship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, NE, followed by Internal Medicine Residency Training at Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN. He then served as Chief Medical Resident at Meharry Medical College for one year and received additional training in Hematology/Oncology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR. He practiced as a Hospitalist for several years, including his position as a staff physician at The Carolinas Healthcare Systems. Dr. Iyamu has expertise in preventative health care and in the management of medically complex patient including, but not limited to, those with hypertension, heart disease, chronic lung disease, opioid used disorder and diabetes. His is married with children.