The ‘word’ corona, ‘virus’ corona and virus corona's behaviour with its prey

 The ‘word’ corona, ‘virus’ corona and virus corona's behaviour with its prey

(Continued from the previous post): https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10216630318018210&set=a.10203716466900003

Original post in Facebook link: 

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10216635634151110&set=a.10203716466900003

Author:

Dr. Md. Jafar Ullah

Professor

Department of Agronomy

Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Email: jafarullahsau@gmail.com

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In Facebook, the ‘corona’, in some cases, was a bit, the matter of playing truant by some Facebook friends (FBF), just to serve some joyful moments in the form of humour. Somebody gave a post on the facebook putting a picture of a police officer posting her name as ‘Corona’ on her ‘chest badge’. Well, that actually could be her name, although I thought it as a photoshopped item.

So, I felt interested to learn about Corona, if there was any other corona, why the name Corona, and what were the symptoms when corona acts as disease of human beings. In the beginning, I told that the objective of this write-up was not to teach the readers about ‘corona’. But I myself wondered where the name ‘corona’ came from?

From the dictionary, I came to know that the ‘corona is the gaseous envelope of the sun’ which normally becomes visible only during a total solar eclipse. While, in medical science, anatomically, the ‘corona’ is a part of the body resembling or likened to a crown.

In case of this virus, the name ‘corona’ is given, as its structure looks like a ‘crown’ which is taken directly from the Latin word ‘corona’, meaning “garland, wreath or crown’’.

I then have learnt that this word ‘corona’ is being used worldwide, as ‘names’ of the many commercial products, organizations, music bands, persons, game, film, stadium, places, companies, in mathematics and many other basic sciences as well.

Previously I thought that this word was related to the heart disease while taking treatments for Coronary artery disease (CAD).

Corona (CO) virus (VI) disease (D) 2019 was first identified in Wuhan of China at the end of 2019 which is now well circulated as COVID-19 worldwide. It is reported that the corona is a virus, like the MARS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) or SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS corona virus or CoV). Popularly it is called Covid-19 or Novel Corona virus (nCoV), but the well circulated term to the common people is ‘Corona’. The word ‘novel’ means ‘new strain’ of the corona virus.

The symptoms of corona infection in the ‘corona positive patients’ are like those of common influenza and it may be cured by the treatment of those used in the flues. It infects through mouth, nose or eyes and attack lungs filling it with water leaving oxygen disrupting the respiratory system. It causes breathing problem and so the patients need ventilation to ease his or her breathing.

The COVID-19 is a round shaped virus having single stranded RNA. It is surrounded by double layer membrane made of lipid. The peripheral layer has spike-like proteinaceous structure. The size of the virus is very tiny, although its size is bigger than some other corona viruses, having diameter of 120 nano meter, something like 1 millionth of a ball point tip. So, it actually can not be prevented by wearing normal masks although we are putting those on. The scientists say that only N-95 respiratory mask is the most appropriate to prevent the corona virus.

Doctors say that most of the infected patients recovers after infection, if treated with care. But it may become dangerous when it causes pneumonia. Medicines such as paracetamol, histamine etc. which are used in the cases of flues are generally prescribed by the doctors.

It is advised by the doctors to the common people to avoid corona adopting some measures while leading family life such as; having normal rest and sleep, keeping body warm, drinking plenty of liquids and living in a ventilated room. In the case of throat sore and cough symptoms, the suggestion is taking a hot shower to have comport. In the serious case, the patients are advised to consult a doctor.

But, the reality is that the corona has spread unrest, agony and panic among us, although it is reported that only two to four percent of the infected people are facing death while others recover. There are reports that among the victims, the old-aged people above sixty are in the more risk if they usually suffer from any of the serious diseases such as diabetics, heart and kidney. But lately, there are also reports that it also took lives of some younger ones. Finally, it is concluded that the immunity of the infected people is the main factor that affect surviving ability of the infected patients. However, there are contradictory results, for example, in Bangladesh, a patient aged over eighty survived, but a child died.

It was earlier reported that it is predominant in places of cool weather and also happens in the areas of cool weather. Some reports are there as well that the bright sunshine is not favourable for corona multiplication. Reports are also existed saying that high humidity is not at the choice list of corona although such climate is liked by other flue-causing viruses. Coupled with humid climate, the prevailing mild temperature may also accelerate its propagation. It was then concluded that in a community, its expansion depended on the prevailing climatic condition, peoples’ food habit, nature of living, cleanliness, using sanitizer, mask and keeping a safe distance and these factors influence corona’s expansion.

From the doctors, some suggestions are given. Suggestions were also made from some other so called experienced persons which have also been considered as reumours. Among the suggestions, hand washing at a regular interval; not touching mouth, nose and eyes with hand; cleaning utensils and other used materials with soap or detergents; wiping hands or touchable places with alcohol, beaching or hydrogen peroxide. These all are at home. But when to go outside for any unavoidable reasons, citizens are advised to using mask, gloves, using tissue paper while coughing.

Citizens were also advised for not spitting and leaving spits or cough on roads. Washing legs or shoes with detergents were the suggestions when back at home from market or office. When at out-doors, the people were told not to hug anybody or shake hands as a manner of greeting.

To prevent its spread, the measures those have been advised were keeping isolated from the infected people, keeping stress free, quarantining the infected ones or community using social distance, stay at home, keeping the throats warm through drinking hot-lemonated or vinegar-added water. The most important one which our doctors and government gave emphasis on was the assurance of ‘social distance’.
(To be continued)