TIG Post

Tag: Coronavirus

  • Coronavirus: What it does to the body

    Fighting the new coronavirus has been a battle against the unknown for doctors.

    How does it attack the body? What are the full range of symptoms? Who is more likely to be seriously ill or die? How do you treat it?

    Now, an account by medics on the front line of this epidemic, at the Jinyintan Hospital, in Wuhan, is starting to provide answers.

    A detailed analysis of the first 99 patients treated there has been published in the Lancet medical journal.

    Lung assault

    All of the 99 patients taken to the hospital had pneumonia – their lungs were inflamed and the tiny sacs where oxygen moves from the air to the blood were filling with water.

    Other symptoms were:

    *82 had fever *81 had a cough *31 had shortness of breath *11 had muscle ache *nine had confusion *eight had a headache *five had a sore throat

    First deaths

    The first two patients to die were seemingly healthy, although they were long-term smokers and that would have weakened their lungs.

    The first, a 61-year-old man, had severe pneumonia when he arrived at hospital.

    He was in acute respiratory distress, meaning his lungs were unable to provide enough oxygen to his organs to keep his body alive.

    Despite being put on a ventilator, his lungs failed and his heart stopped beating. He died 11 days after he was admitted.

    The second patient, a 69-year-old man, also had acute respiratory distress syndrome.

    He was attached to an artificial lung or ECMO (extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation) machine but this wasn’t enough. He died of severe pneumonia and septic shock when his blood pressure collapsed. At least 10% die

    As of 25 January, of the 99 patients:

    *57 were still in hospital *31 had been discharged *11 had died

    This does not mean the death rate of the disease is 11%, though, as some of those still in hospital may yet die and many others have such mild symptoms they do not end up in hospital.

    Market workers

    Live animals sold at the Huanan seafood market are thought to be the source of the infection, called 2019-nCoV.

    And 49 out of the 99 patients had a direct connection to the market:

    *47 worked there, either as managers or manning the stalls two were shoppers who had only popped in

    Middle-aged men worst affected

    Most of the 99 patients were middle-aged, with an average age of 56 – and 67 of them were men.

    However, more recent figures suggest a more even gender split. The China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 1.2 men were infected for every 1.0 women.

    There are two possible explanations for the difference: Men could be more likely to become severely ill and need hospital treatment, Men, for social or cultural reasons, may have been more likely to be exposed to the virus at the beginning of the outbreak.

    Dr Li Zhang, at the hospital, says: “The reduced susceptibility of females to viral infections could be attributed to the protection from X chromosome and sex hormones, which play an important role in immunity.”

    And those who were already sick

    Most of the 99 had other diseases that may have made them more vulnerable to the virus as a “result of the weaker immune functions of these patients”:

    40 had a weak heart or damaged blood vessels due to conditions including heart disease, heart failure and stroke. A further 12 patients had diabetes.

     

    Source: bbc.com

  • MP cries for National Infectious Diseases Management Centre

    Dr Sebastian Issa Ngmenenso Sandaare, Member of Parliament (MP) for Daffiama Bussie Issa, says it is time Ghana had a National Infectious Diseases Management Centre.

    He said medically it was not safe for people with infectious diseases to mix with other patients in the same health facility.

    Recalling the threat of Ebola, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in the early 2000s and the current Coronavirus, the MP, who is also a medical doctor, said the nation should spare no further time in having infectious diseases centres, with one major one to effectively manage such ailments.

    “There already are some infectious diseases in Ghana, and you remember the risks associated with SARS, which was traced to China in 2002, and now this coronavirus, which is also coming from China. Strangely, medical scientists are not abreast with this coronavirus, and that is what makes it more dangerous,” he said.

    Dr Sandaare said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after contributing to a statement on the disease by Dr Kurt Nawaane, MP for Nabdam, in Parliament.

    He suggested the strengthening of health systems in the country, including the handling of existing infectious diseases and emerging ones.

    An infection happens when a foreign organism enters a person’s body and causes harm. The organism uses the body to sustain itself, reproduce, and colonize. The most common and deadly types of infection are bacterial, viral, fungal, and prions. These infectious organisms are known as pathogens.

    Some infections are mild and barely noticeable, but others are severe and life-threatening, and some are resistant to treatment, which can be transmitted in a variety of ways.

    In May 2016 the first of five multi-purpose infectious disease isolation centres for the Greater Accra Region was inaugurated at the La General Hospital in Accra, with four others expected later at Maamobi, Korle-Bu and Adabraka polyclinics and the Ga South Hospital.

    Dr Sandaare said with the threat of coronavirus the National Infectious Diseases Management Centre was even more needed to deal with unforeseeable emergencies.

    The coronavirus, which is a respiratory disease, is not understood by medical scientists but the World Health Organization is working with experts to ascertain its possible cure.

    Some of the symptoms are fever, flu, cough and general malaise.

    Dr Sandaare suggested that people should eat balanced meals, take enough water, and have adequate rest in order to boost their immune system.

    He, however, observed that Ghana had the capacity in handling such infectious diseases and would not be out of place if Ghanaian medical doctors were made part of the medical investigation team to China by the WHO.

    He called for an established and dedicated fund for such emergencies, which could be sourced from the National Health Insurance Fund and the oil money.

    The WHO has declared the coronavirus a global health emergency. The virus has reportedly spread to at least 22 countries, claimed more than 200 lives in China and hospitalised more than 9,000.

     

    Source: ghananewsagency.org

  • Fight against Coronavirus: NUGS-China receives 50,000 RMB from Ghana

    The Ghana Embassy in Beijing, China, under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, has given 50,000 RMB to the National Union of Ghana Student (NUGS-China).

    A statement signed jointly by Mr Bekoe Bernard Boamah, the NUGS-China Secretary-General, and Mr Felix Gyawu-Addo, the NUGS-China President, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the amount was for the procurement of food and protective items for the distressed members in the wake of the Coronavirus Outbreak.

    The virus has claimed 213 lives and hospitalised more than 9,000.

    The statement said the initiative was taken in response to challenges raised by Chapter representatives during a four-hour meeting held on the January 29 between the Ghana Embassy, the National Executive Council, and representatives of NUGS-China.

    During the meeting, chapter representatives unanimously affirmed that all Ghanaian students in their respective cities were safe from the virus.

    “They mentioned that the shortage of nose masks and hand sanitizers had led to some concerns and prevented some members from going out to buy basic needs like food and water,” it stated.

    The statement said at the end of the meeting, chaired by Mr Edward Boateng, Ghana’s Ambassador to China, the Embassy officials promised to channel all the concerns raised to Accra for response.

    Out of the amount 30,000 RMB is to be given to Chapters in Hubei Province.

    The statement said Hubei Province was the epicentre of the disease and is also where the lock-down was severest.

    It said the remaining 20,000RMB was to be committed to the NUGS-China “NKWA NA ?HIA” Fund, created to provide support for all other chapters outside of Hubei Province.

    The Fund welcomes any donation, either in cash or kind, to help provide adequate support for all members.

    “NUGS-China is grateful to the Government of Ghana, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, and the Ghana Mission in China for such a kind gesture,” the statement said.

    “Members must follow the safety precautions, stay calm and be of good cheer. In case any member experiences any fever symptoms, they should rush to the designated hospitals for treatment or report to the NUGS-China Report-Centre @ www.nugschina.org/coronavirus-report-center, or contact the Ghana Embassy directly via these emergency lines: +8618612084232/+8618612959040.”

     

    Source: ghananewsagency.org

  • Anxiety grips Tema Chinese shop attendants over coronavirus

    Some Ghanaian shop attendants at various Chinese owned shops in the Tema are in a state of anxiety as the deadly Coronavirus gains grounds in China.

    At Tema Community 11, where a large concentration of Chinese shops was, the Ghana News Agency observed that both Ghanaian and Chinese workers wore nose masks whilst attending to customers.

    Places GNA visited included You ming supermarket, Serwajia Company Limited, Gardens restaurant, Xinhua supermarket and the Chines Casino all in Community 11.

    A Chinese National who gave her name as Stella told the GNA that, it was very urgent to be proactive saying the virus was really taking lives in faraway China.

    She added that though the virus had not been detected in Ghana, the citizens, as well as the government, must be proactive in their effort to protect the borders of the country.

    According to her, an instruction was given to the supervisors to provide mouth and nose protective gears to the workers hence the spectacle.

    Some of the workers who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the GNA that for some time now, no new Chinese citizen had been brought from China to replace their colleagues as it used to be the norm.

    They informed that, the virus scare had in a way affected daily sales as clients were still sceptical over how authorities were prepared to prevent the virus from entering the country.

    “Though we are scared, we hoping the country would be safe,” they noted.

    Meanwhile, health officials in the country had given assurance that the country was safe from the virus and no hospital have recorded any case yet.

    The Coronavirus, which originated from the Chinese city of Wuhan has so far claimed more than 150 lives and infected over 1, 000 people.

     

    Source: ghananewsagency.org

  • Ghana Medical Association appeals to doctors trained for Ebola to be on standby for coronavirus

    Doctors and other health professionals in Ghana trained five years ago to respond to Ebola cases are being asked to immediately regroup and prepare to handle any possible case of coronavirus, which has been declared a global health emergency.

    Cases of the virus have reached nearly 10,000 in China, and more than 100 cases have been reported in 22 other countries. A total of 213 have died from the disease in China so far, according to the BBC.

    On the back of cases being recorded outside china where the outbreak originated, Ghana has stepped up surveillance at its entry points as passengers are screened for possible infection before being allowed entry.

    Government on Monday designated the Ridge Hospital and the Tema General Hospital as centres to manage possible cases of coronavirus in the country.

    It also said the country has triggered its emergency preparedness and response plan amidst the rising number of infections from the virus which was first recorded in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

    The Ghana Medical in a statement Friday said it is concerned about the disease.

    “The human interactions between countries make the possibility of an outbreak of the coronavirus in Ghana very real,” it stated.

    The situation, according to the association, requires that Ghana prepares in terms of logistics, protocols and trained personnel to deal with any possible case.

    Accordingly, it underscored the need for the reactivation of a well-coordinated rapid response team like the one set up during the Ebola pandemic in 2014/2015.

    “We urge doctors and other health care workers who were trained as part of that response team to immediately regroup and get involved actively as we strengthen our preparedness towards any possible case of coronavirus infection in Ghana”.

     

    Source: 3news.com

  • Nigerian Authorities shut down Chinese supermarket in Lagos over Coronavirus

    The Nigerian authorities have made moves to shut down a Chinese-owned Panda Supermarket in the Jabi area of Abuja as part of measures to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

    The FCCPC said in a series of tweets made hours ago that it had seized some frozen food items illegally imported from China into Nigeria.

    The pictures of some of the frozen food items posted on Twitter showed that they had expiry dates of 2089 which further aroused suspicion that they were not certified by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control before almost hitting the market.

    The agency said in a series of tweets, “The FCCPC inspected Panda Supermarket, Jabi, on credible reports that it discriminated and had a concealed area for Asian nationals. The allegation was confirmed. Seafood and animal products imported illegally from China were discovered.

    “The store was closed for cautionary reasons considering the Coronavirus. Products with expired and irregular shelf life were also discovered at Panda. Regulatory activities to remove all such products from the supermarket continue.”

    The Federal Government had earlier in the week assured Nigerians of its readiness to strengthen surveillance at five international airports in the country to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

    The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, said the government would also set up an inter-multisectoral committee to scale up surveillance and vigilance.

    “The risk of importation is possible in all countries. However, the ministry wishes to assure all Nigerians that the capacity to detect, access and respond to this and other public health challenges are put in place,” he had said.

    The minister said that in addition, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control had set up coronavirus group and was ready to activate its incident system for coronavirus if any case emerged in Nigeria.

    First identified by Chinese researchers with the pathogen behind a mysterious illness that had sickened 59 people in Wuhan, Hubei in 2019, a city of 11 million in central China, coronavirus is a group of viruses common among animals but now confirmed that it could also infect humans.

    The large family of viruses can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome otherwise known as SARS.

    The disease has spread to Chinese cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, as authorities of that country confirmed 1,975 cases of the new coronavirus, while death toll from the virus rose to 56.

    It had also spread to the US, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, Australia, France, and Canada.

    See Photos Below:

  • Dead man lies on an empty street at China’s virus ground zero

    A grey-haired man wearing a face mask lies dead on the pavement at ground zero of China’s virus epidemic, a plastic shopping bag in one hand.

    On what would typically be a crowded street in Wuhan, an industrial city of 11 million under quarantine, there are only a few passersby and they dare not go near him.

    AFP journalists saw the body on Thursday morning, not long before an emergency vehicle arrived carrying police and medical staff in full-body protective suits.

    The man lay straight on his back in front of a closed furniture store. Medical staff in blue overalls gently shrouded his body with a blue blanket.

    The ambulance left, and police stacked supermarket cardboard boxes to hide the scene.

    AFP could not determine how the man, who appeared to be aged in his 60s, had died. AFP contacted police and local health officials afterwards but could not get details on his case.

    But the reaction of the police and medical staff in hazmat suits, as well as some of the bystanders, highlighted the fear pervading the city.

    A woman standing near the man, wearing pink pyjamas and a Mao cap, said she believed he had died from the virus.

    “It’s terrible,” she said. “These days many people have died.”

    Wuhan is the epicentre of the outbreak of the new coronavirus, which is believed to have jumped from wild animals at a city market into humans.

    The virus, which emerged late last year, has claimed at least 213 lives and infected thousands in China, with at least 159 deaths in Wuhan alone.

    With the virus spreading to other countries, the World Health Organization has declared the crisis a global health emergency.

    Torment

    Authorities have imposed an unprecedented lockdown of Wuhan, blocking off roads out of the city and banning flights, in a bid to stop the virus spreading.

    Those who are trapped are enduring a tormenting wait for the lockdown to end, for a cure to be found, or even just for check-ups at overwhelmed hospitals.

    AFP reporters in Wuhan have seen long queues at hospitals, with some patients saying they had queued for two days to see a doctor.

    Many brought their own chairs for the wait.

    With most traffic banned, people who venture outside have to walk or bike everywhere in the huge city.

    The dead man on the street on Thursday lay one block from the Wuhan Number Six Hospital, one of the main medical centres for treating those with virus symptoms.

    A team of forensic experts who examined him were immediately sprayed with disinfectant by colleagues after removing their hazardous material suits.

    One man smoking near the scene was told sharply by police to put out his cigarette and don a face mask.

    He quickly followed their orders.

    In the two hours that AFP observed the scene, at least 15 ambulances passed by, attending other calls.

    Finally, a white van with blacked-out windows arrived to take away the man.

    The body was zipped into a yellow surgical bag, and carried into the van on a stretcher.

    Staff immediately began to clean the ground as the van drove away, disinfecting the streets where the body had lain.

    Source: France24

  • Coronavirus declared global health emergency by WHO

    The new coronavirus has been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization, as the outbreak continues to spread outside China.

    “The main reason for this declaration is not what is happening in China but what is happening in other countries,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

    The concern is that it could spread to countries with weaker health systems.

    The death toll now stands at 170 people in China.

    The WHO said there had been 98 cases in 18 counties outside of China, but no deaths.

    Most cases have emerged in people who have travelled from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the outbreak began.

    However, there have been eight cases of human-to-human infection – in Germany, Japan, Vietnam and the United States.

    Dr Tedros, speaking at the press conference in Geneva, described the coronavirus virus as an “unprecedented outbreak” that has been met with an “unprecedented response”.

    He praised China’s “extraordinary measures”, taken to prevent it from spreading.

    When has this happened in the past?
    The WHO declares a Public Health Emergency of International Concern when there is “an extraordinary event which is determined … to constitute a public health risk to other states through the international spread of disease”.

    It has previously declared five global public health emergencies:

    Swine flu, 2009 -The H1N1 virus spread across the world in 2009, killing more than 200,000 people, and a public health emergency was called to ensure the world was carefully monitoring its spread and able to respond, including with vaccines.

    Polio, 2014 – Although closer than ever to eradication in 2012, polio numbers rose in 2013. An emergency was declared due to fears the global fight against its eradication could face a major setback.

    Zika, 2016 – The WHO declared Zika a public health emergency in 2016 after the disease spread rapidly through the Americas. Although for many Zika symptoms are mild, it can be dangerous for pregnant women and the emergency was called to spur urgent research.

    Ebola, 2014 and 2019 – The deadly disease has twice been declared a public health emergency. The first one lasted from August 2014 to March 2016 as almost 30,000 people were infected and more than 11,000 died in West Africa. The WHO cited “the virulence of the virus, the intensive community and health facility transmission patterns, and the weak health systems” in affected countries. A second emergency was declared last year as the disease spread in the DR Congo.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Health officials on alert over possible coronavirus outbreak in Tema

    Health officials in Tema say they are on high alert over a possible coronavirus outbreak in the area.

    This they say is due to the influx of foreign nationals mostly Chinese who come into the country to do business at the Tema Port.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday in a press conference that it is declaring coronavirus an international health emergency.

    The coronavirus has claimed over 170 lives already with over 7,000 affected and many countries are on high alert for any possible outbreak.

    Ghana has tightened surveillance at various ports and borders to ensure the disease does not find its way into the country.

    Medical Director of the Tema General Hospital Dr Richard Anthony says measures are in place to deal with the situation should it arise.

    “Influenza surveillance has always been ongoing by the public health department so we have put in structures, emergency response team, nurses, doctors and security men and others. Nationally there is a national response team to make sure that any such case will quickly be managed”

    However, Associate Professor of Microbiology at the University of Health and Allied Sciences Theophilus Adiku is calling for the deployment of rapid test kits and ambulances at the country’s entry points to fast track early detection and treatment of the deadly disease.

    The Majority in Parliament early this week enough preparations have been made to deal with the disease should it find its way into Ghana.

    Source: primenewsghana.com

  • Were on alert for Coronavirus Health Ministry

    The Ministry of Health has assured Ghanaians it is taking the necessary steps to prevent Coronavirus which is spreading in China from entering Ghana.

    There are fears the dangerous virus can make its way into Ghana considering the closely knitted relationship between nationals of both countries.

    Scores of Chinese nationals are into numerous activities in Ghana including illegal mining while many Ghanaian business owners travel to China to conduct business.

    Passengers from China to be screened to prevent spread of Coronavirus

    In a statement, the health ministry said: “The Health Authorities in China confirmed an outbreak of a novel Coronavirus Infection on the 7th January 2020 in Wuhan Province in China following a series of reported cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in December 2019.

    “The outbreak was linked to a local animal market (spread from animals to humans) but has also been found to spread from one person to the other. It can be spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes on another person. The disease is characterized by fever, cough and difficulties in breathing. So far, four people have been confirmed dead due to the disease.

    “Three other countries (Thailand, South Korea and Japan and United Arab Emirates) have also reported cases. The World Health Organisation has called on countries to strengthen prevention and control measures for 2019-nCoV. Following the notification of the member states of the WHO on the outbreak, Ghana has initiated measures to protect the general public from the disease. The following measures are currently being implemented: 1. Alert message sent to all regions in Ghana on the outbreak in addition to guidance information on the disease 2. Enhanced surveillance at points of entry especially the Kotoka International Airport”.

    The statement added: “In addition, there is in-country capacity to diagnose 2019-nCoV through laboratory testing of the appropriate samples by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research. As part of measures to prevent an outbreak in Ghana, passengers from China will undergo enhanced screening procedures including the administration of health questionnaire. Health facilities have also been alerted to prepare and manage cases in case of an outbreak. The general public is advised to adhere to the following measures as part of prevention”.

    Source: kasapafmonline.com