Let’s start with first explaining what the Coronavirus is and where it comes from. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). (https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus).

This is the seventh member of the Coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, that can infect humans and studies indicate that the primary reservoir for the virus may be bats and that the whole genome is 96% identical to a bat coronavirus identified in 2013 (Zhou, Peng; et al. (23 January 2020). “Discovery of a novel coronavirus associated with the recent pneumonia outbreak in humans and its potential bat origin”).

Transmission:

The virus is spread through coughing and sneezing, or when an infected individual touched surfaces and objects. A handshake, public door handles, close proximity… all can lead to spreading the virus.

Signs & Symptoms:

Reported symptoms have included fever, fatigue, dry cough, shortness of breath, and respiratory distress. Cases of severe infection have resulted in pneumonia, kidney failure, and death. In a statement issued on 23 January 2020, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that a quarter of those infected had severely impaired immune systems. (“WHO Director-General’s statement on the advice of the IHR Emergency Committee on Novel Coronavirus”)

Prevention:

2019-nCoV does not have an effective medicine treatment or vaccine.

To prevent infection, the WHO recommends “regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and avoiding close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness (such as coughing and sneezing).”

Installing Non-contact sanitisers at all access points for your Business or Home is just one way to help promote cleanliness.