Our present and future climate is changing. Combined with the effects of pollution & a rising population – respiratory diseases such as the bird flu & coronavirus may become a seasonal occurrence (like the flu & common cold).
While it is too early for studies to confirm these predictions, the European Respiratory Society is concerned, as viral respiratory tract infections are presently one of the most common diseases (with six new viruses in recent years).
THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
Description:
A virus is a constantly evolving & cooperating ‘team’ which exists through host infection. The members of each virus ‘team’ are known as virion (i.e. a single virus particle) & are made of RNA or DNA. They replicate, by hi-jacking the reproductive process of a living cell.
The coronavirus is a family of RNA-viruses which infect vertebrates of Kingdom Animalia (including the human species), through the respiratory system. Symptoms of infection are similar to the flu and can include fever, cough & shortness of breath (although no symptoms are also possible).
On 26th February, 2020 Dr.Lisa Maragakis from John Hopkins Medicine provides the following comparison (numbers & dates are approximate):
INFECTIONS:
Coronavirus: 18,322 people (3 months).
Flu: 1 billion people (each year).
DEATHS:
Coronavirus: 2,770 deaths (3 months).
Flu: 291,000 – 646,000 deaths (each year).
Classification & origin:
The ‘International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses’ has identified the coronavirus disease COVID-19 to be caused by the virus: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Family: Coronaviridae
Sub-family: Orthocoronavirinae.
Genus: Betacoronavirus.
Species: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-related coronavirus (-CoV).
Coronaviridae is a large family of 11 viruses which causes a range of illnesses, including the common cold. Originally found in bats, the current outbreak (COVID-19) is transmitted through several animal hosts including cats, racoons & dogs (particularly via the dog-meat trade in China).
COVID-19 is sister to SARS-CoV-1 (avian influenza virus or the bird flu) which was transmitted from civet cats causing an outbreak in 2002/2003. Another significant member of this family is the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) which was transmitted from dromedary camels to humans in 2012.
