Latest News

    • Home
    • What makes the new strain of Coronavirus so mysterious?
    What makes the new strain of Coronavirus so mysterious?
    Thursday, January 30, 2020 IST
    What makes the new strain of Coronavirus so mysterious?

    There is human-to-human transmission. So, an infected person can transmit the virus to other person, who comes in close contact with him/her

     
     

    The current evidence suggests the virus has not undergone any major mutation
     
    NEW DELHI : Even as scientists across the world, are racing to solve several mysteries around the new Coronavirus, the killer strain continues to spread, infecting over 7,783 people in 20 countries. MINT explains some of the key questions, which scientists are rushing to find answers to, in order to contain the deadly outbreak.
     
    How deadly is the infection?
    We do not know how the disease progresses in an infected person. Though it’s known to impact lower respiratory tract, its pathogenesis is unknown. The common symptoms -runny nose, cough, breathing problem, sore throat or fever, vary from case to case. Not all patients develop Severe Pneumonia, some recover following timely and adequate medical care. Researchers want to understand, what factors determine the severity of the disease, its case fatality ratio-the proportion of cases that will die as a result of the disease. So, far out of the 7,783 cases, 25 % have been reported to be severe.
     
    How fast does the virus spread?
    There is human-to-human transmission. So, an infected person can transmit the virus to other person, who comes in close contact with him/her. But how many can he/she infect? Will those secondary cases be as mild or severe as the primary case? Though, current estimates suggest one infected person can transmit it to two to three persons on average, an exact transmissibility or reproduction rate (R0) of the virus is not known. This is crucial to determine if the outbreak could become a pandemic.
     
    How to detect the virus- the screening and diagnostics?
    A person may be infected with the virus, but he/she would not know until the symptoms begin to appear. According to World Health Organization (WHO), the incubation period could be between two to ten days, and only a diagnostic test at the health centre could confirm the disease. But during the period, the person has the ability to transmit the disease to other people, according to China’s National Health Mission. This poses a challenge in screening the suspected cases at airports, which may be incubating the disease.
     
    Where did the disease come from?
    Though Coronaviruses were discovered as early as 1960s, some of its strains have never infected humans. Out of the seven strains, identified so far, only three have infected humans- resulting in a new outbreak each time- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2002-03, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2013 and the new strain of Coronavirus in December, 2019. SARS-Cov was known to have come from bats via civets and MERS- CoV from camels. We do not know the origin of 2019-nCoV and how did it enter humans? This information is needed to develop a potential anti-viral.
     
     

     
     

    What is the risk of mutation?
    The current evidence suggests the virus has not undergone any major mutation. If it does, it could make things extremely challenging. The genomic sequences shared by virologists and microbiologists, isolated from confirmed cases across the world show similarities. But the scientists continue to monitor the new cases to understand and estimate if and how the virus could mutate.
     
    The search for the vaccine
    Several key scientific groups across countries are racing to develop a vaccine for 2019-nCoV. Even though it may take years for the anti-viral to enter the market, following animal testing, clinical trials and regulatory approvals, any major breakthrough could speed things up. The genetic sequences of the virus isolated from samples are being widely shared by researchers across the world. A team in Australia has even succeeded in growing the culture in a laboratory for clinical testing. At present, there are no anti-virals or drugs that can work against the virus.

     
     
     
     
     

    Related Topics

     
     
     

    Trending News & Articles

     

    More in

     Article
    Doctors Confirm 'Semi-Identical' Twins Born From One Egg and Two Sperm

    A new study suggests that such twins are extraordinarily rare.

    Recently posted. 787 views . 0 min read
     

     Article
    Foodies’ delight: An epicurean walk through the lanes of Majnu Ka Teela in Delhi

    Have you heard of Lathing?It’s a training that involves soya keema, seasoning, and chili paste and rolled in a sort of starch (specifics are saved mystery by ...

    Recently posted. 908 views . 13 min read
     

     Article
    20 Vegetables and Herbs You Can Grow Indoors from Scraps

    Sure, you’ve heard that buying organic food over the genetically modified or pesticide exposed versions is ideal for your health, but it can get costly. Due...

    Recently posted. 1K views . 2 min read
     

     Photo
    Highest Civilian Award Of India



    Recently posted . 1K views
     

     Article
    Are these 10 common home remedies effective cures or myths? We find out

      Does walking barefoot on grass really boost your eyesight? Is it worthwhile to avoid curd if you have asthma? We have all the answers....

    Recently posted. 1K views . 1 min read
     

     Article
    Energy drinks are more dangerous for the heart than coffee

    Over half of the youth and young adults who consume an energy drink, have reported experiencing an adverse health event.

    Recently posted. 772 views . 0 min read
     

     
     
     

       Prashnavali

      Thought of the Day

    "Life isn’t meant to be easy....It’s meant to be lived Sometimes easy other times rough.. But with every up & down learn lessons that make you strong..If there is no struggle, there is no progress."
    Anonymous

    Be the first one to comment on this story

    Close
    Post Comment
    Shibu Chandran
    2 hours ago

    Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

    November 28, 2016 05:00 IST
    Shibu Chandran
    2 hours ago

    Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

    November 28, 2016 05:00 IST
    Shibu Chandran
    2 hours ago

    Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

    November 28, 2016 05:00 IST
    Shibu Chandran
    2 hours ago

    Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

    November 28, 2016 05:00 IST


    ads
    Back To Top