Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are widespread in nature, named for their crown-like morphology when viewed under electron microscopy, and mainly cause respiratory diseases.

At present, seven coronaviruses have been found to infect humans, among which SARS virus, MERS virus (Middle East respiratory syndrome virus) and novel coronavirus can cause more serious human diseases.

In addition to infecting humans, coronaviruses can also infect pigs, cattle, cats, dogs, minks, camels, bats, rats, hedgehogs, and other mammals and a variety of birds.

To date, the novel coronavirus (2019-

CoV), a total of 6 coronaviruses that can infect humans have been found, namely HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, SARS-CoV, and HCoV-NL63

According to the analysis of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it is certain that the novel coronavirus has droplet transmission, and it is almost certain that there is contact transmission, but it is not yet certain whether there is airborne transmission. The new coronavirus has a certain transmission intensity, and if protective measures are not taken, theoretically, 1 patient can spread the virus to 2~3 people. There is no medicine to prevent the novel coronavirus infection, and there is usually no specific drug for viral diseases, except for a few diseases such as influenza. Although there is currently no specific treatment for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, many symptoms can be treated symptomatically and can effectively alleviate the patient's condition.

What should I do if I receive a notification from the CDC that you are a close contact?

According to the requirements, close contacts need to be quarantined at home for observation, and there is no need to panic. As a close contact, do not go to work, do not go out casually, do a good job of self-observation of your physical condition, and receive regular follow-up visits from community doctors. If there are abnormal clinical manifestations such as fever and cough, it should be reported to the local community follow-up doctor in time, and under his guidance, go to the designated medical department for investigation, diagnosis and treatment.

Why quarantine close contacts for 14 days?

The quarantine and observation of close contacts is mainly to adopt a containment strategy to cut off the spread of the virus, which is a responsible attitude towards public health and safety, and is also a common practice in the international community.

If you suspect that you may be infected by the new coronavirus, do not go to work or school, and take the initiative to wear a mask and go to the nearest designated hospital for treatment. If you have been to an endemic area, you should take the initiative to tell your doctor; You should also tell your doctor who you have been in contact with after the onset of the disease, and cooperate with the doctor to carry out relevant investigations. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen home ventilation and disinfection, wear masks at home, avoid close contact with family members, pay attention to personal hygiene, and wash hands frequently.

Based on the current understanding of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus, the maximum time from exposure to the virus to the onset of illness is 14 days, so we need to observe close contacts for 14 days. After 14 days, if there is no illness, it can be determined that the person is not infected.

What should I pay attention to when a person infected with the new coronavirus goes to the hospital for medical treatment?

Patients should pay attention to wearing masks correctly, preferably disposable medical masks, and take the initiative to inform doctors of their travel history and contact history to help doctors judge their conditions

Common clinical manifestations include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and dyspnea. In more severe cases, infection can lead to pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death.

The clinical symptoms of the pneumonia case of the novel coronavirus infection were fever, fatigue and dry cough as the main manifestations. Upper respiratory tract symptoms such as nasal congestion and runny nose are rare. About half of patients will have dyspnea after 1 week, and severe cases may rapidly progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock, refractory metabolic acidosis, and coagulopathy. Some patients have mild onset symptoms and may not have fever, while a few patients are critically ill or even die. If you have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, muscle aches, cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath, you should seek medical attention in time, and at the same time tell your doctor about your travel history in the two weeks before the onset of the disease, so that the doctor can make a quick diagnosis. The hospital's treatment process for fever and cough cases: When a patient comes to the clinic, he or she will first go to the pre-screening triage office, where the nurse will take his temperature. If there is fever and cough, the nurse will put on a medical mask for the patient and guide the patient to the fever clinic, and the outpatient doctor will focus on asking the patient whether he has been to the epidemic area 2 weeks before the onset of the disease, or whether he has been in contact with similar cases during the consultation and examination process. If the patient's clinical presentation meets the definition of a suspected case of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus, and he or she has traveled to an endemic area or has been in contact with a similar case, he or she will be immediately admitted to the hospital for isolation treatment. At the same time, throat swabs, sputum and other specimens are collected and sent to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention or qualified hospital laboratories for testing for the novel coronavirus. A positive test result confirms the diagnosis.

Novel coronavirus infection is characterized by fever, fatigue, dry cough, and pneumonia. However, it is important to note that in the early stages, patients may not have fever and only chills and respiratory tract infection, but CT will show pneumonia. The symptoms of severe cases caused by the novel coronavirus infection are similar to those of SARS.

The clinical manifestations of influenza include high fever, cough, sore throat and muscle pain, and sometimes pneumonia, but it is uncommon.

The symptoms of the common cold are nasal congestion, runny nose, etc., and most patients have mild symptoms and generally do not cause pneumonia symptoms.

To prevent novel coronavirus infection, the following measures should be taken:

1. Avoid going to areas with a high incidence of epidemics.

2. Avoid crowded places. Avoid to the enclosed, air

Public places with no circulation and places with a large number of people, especially children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. Wear a mask when you go out.

3. Strengthen window ventilation. The home should open the windows for ventilation for a period of time every day to strengthen air circulation to effectively prevent respiratory infections.

4. Pay attention to personal hygiene. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. When sneezing or coughing, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or elbow, and do not cover your mouth and nose directly with your hands.

5. Seek medical attention in a timely manner. If you have symptoms of respiratory tract infection such as fever (especially high fever that does not go away), cough and shortness of breath, you should wear a mask and seek medical attention in time.

When coughing and sneezing, droplets containing the virus can spread into the air within a radius of about 2 meters, and people around them can become infected by inhaling these droplets. Therefore, it is important to note that:

1. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or elbow area instead of your hands when sneezing and coughing.

2. Put tissues used for sneezing and coughing in a trash can with a lid.

3. It is best to wash your hands thoroughly with soap or hand sanitizer after sneezing and coughing.