How a strategy meeting of a pharmaceutical company spread coronavirus
By Natalie Rahhal, acting American health editor for DailyMail.com
HOW DANGER IS CORONAVIRUS?
Approximately 14 percent of people who contract the Covid-19 coronavirus are taken to the hospital – with severe symptoms such as breathing problems and pneumonia. About 5 percent need intensive care.
But the majority who get the virus suffer nothing more than a cough and may never know they are infected.
So far, around 51,000 people around the world have recovered from the corona virus – and that includes only the numbers that have been diagnosed.
HOW MANY PEOPLE DIE?
Officially, the death rate so far is just over three percent. But experts believe that the actual death rate is probably between one and two percent. This is because most mild cases have not been picked up by doctors or reflected in the official figures – so the death rate has been blown up.
HOW DOES THIS COMPARE WITH OTHER DISEASES?
Seasonal flu kills around 0.1 percent of people. So Covid-19 is between 10 and 20 times more deadly.
But it’s much less dangerous than SARS – the virus that tore through China in 2003 – killing 10 percent of patients.
BUT CORONAVIRUS SPEAKS NO MORE EASY?
Yes, but not dramatically. The best estimates suggest that every person with Covid-19 passes it on average to 2.6 people. For flu the number is 1.5.
CAN IT BE SPREAD WITHOUT SYMPTOMS?
Initially, scientists feared that carriers without symptoms could pass this on. That is now doubtful.
However, it is likely that those with mild symptoms will catch a cold and resume their normal lives – endangering others.
HOW LONG IS IT BEFORE THE SYMPTOMS APPEAR?
Again, unclear. Initially, scientists said that this could take up to two weeks.
But recent evidence suggests that the incubation period can only be one month – especially in children.
However, the average is much shorter. A Chinese study said the average period of onset of symptoms was 5.4 days for adults and 6.5 for children.
WHO IS RISK?
The virus can affect anyone – with a study of the first 41 infected people showing that two-thirds were not bothered by pre-existing conditions. But the middle age will probably get it – 78 percent of the infected in China are between 30 and 69 years old.
WHAT ABOUT OLD?
Only 3 percent of people infected so far are older than 80 – but if they get it, they are more vulnerable. An analysis of 72,000 cases in China suggests that the age of 80 is 15 percent. For those in their 70s, the death rate is 8 percent and for those in their 60s, 4 percent.
WHO ELSE IS VULNERABLE?
People with other conditions – such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and kidney problems – are likely to have serious complications if they become infected.
WHAT ABOUT CHILDREN?
Children seem to run little risk. Less than 1 percent of Chinese cases are less than ten years old – and when children get the virus, it is often a mild form.
However, they retain the virus for longer than adults.
A study last week found that the virus was present in the stools of some children for a month after they had contracted it.
DOES GENDER APPLY?
Men are marginally more likely to get the virus than women. It is not clear why this is the case.
HOW DOES DOCTORS TEST FOR COVID-19?
Anyone who has symptoms, especially if they have traveled to a risk area, will be told to call their health care provider, the local emergency department or clinics.
In this way, caregivers can be prepared by wearing masks, gloves, and other personal protective equipment when they meet the potential patient and guide them to isolated areas of the facility.
They are tested using a cheek rod that is sent for analysis in one of 12 Public Health England laboratories, a process that lasts between 24 and 48 hours. Each positive test is double checked in the main PHE lab in Colindale.
WHAT TREATMENT DOES PATIENTS GET?
There are few doctors who can fight the virus, but they can treat the symptoms such as fever and breathing problems. Antivirals and antibiotics are also used, primarily to keep secondary problems at bay.
In the most serious cases, patients are placed on life-supporting equipment.
There are several clinical studies worldwide about potential coronavirus treatments, including one in Nebraska, where at least 13 patients are in quarantine, including two in biocontainment units.
WHAT ABOUT A VACCINE?
Although the Wuhan virus only appeared a few weeks ago, 20 teams around the world are already producing vaccines.
Chinese authorities provided the DNA code for the virus early in the outbreak so that scientists could get started right away.
At least 30 companies and research institutions in the US race to make a vaccine.
Last week, one of these companies, Moderna, shipped its candidate vaccine to the US, indicating that the shot was ready to begin clinical trials.
Nevertheless, the US health authorities say it will probably take another year before a vaccine is actually ready.
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