Esha Mohite, MGM’s College of Engineering and Technology
We all are well aware of the circumstances under which people all over the globe are living, since the last year. Covid-19 (caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus) has become a household name. The virus that previously was generally found in birds, bats, and cattle, has now taken on an avatar that is lethal to humans.
There have been several attempts to curb the deadly virus, all in vain, mainly due to its ability to mutate rapidly. Within a year, the virus has managed to mutate several times, giving rise to variants like-
- Alpha (Lineage B.1.1.7): First found in South-eastern England, in late 2020.
- Beta (Lineage B.1.351): The first case was reported in the Southern area of Africa, and Nigeria.
- Gamma (Lineage P.1): Initial cases were mostly reported in Brazil, Japan, and the USA, around January 2021
- Delta (Lineage B.1.617.2): The variant was first spotted in India in December 2020, and is now causing a surge in cases in various regions of the nation.
Another reason the Covid-19 virus is difficult to control is its zombie-like state. It is neither living nor dead. The virus, when in contact with a host, awakens to life and takes control of the host cells.
Also, the time taken by an infected individual to show symptoms of SARS-COV-2 is longer. By the time an infected individual starts showing symptoms of infection, the virus is already done replicating within the host’s body and entering a new host.
What is SARS-COV-2?
Coronavirus disease 2019 (officially named COVID-19 by WHO) is a contagious disease caused by severe acute syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
COVID-19 mostly affects the upper respiratory tract which includes sinuses, nose, and throat, and the lower respiratory tract consisting of windpipe and lungs.
The virus to replicate needs to access the host cells for the enzyme Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is most abundantly found on the surface of type II alveolar cells of the lungs. This is why the lungs are the most affected organs by Covid-19.
Covid-19 infections in Kerala
The graph of Covid-19 infections in Kerala has started to rise again since mid-June 2021, just after the officials thought it to be under control. For almost a month now, Kerala has been reporting between 11,000 to 13,000 cases every day. In the past couple of days, Kerala reported a significant increase in new Covid positive cases. This has resulted in an overall upsurge in the total number of active cases at the national level for the very first time in the last two months.
Till now, Kerala has reported about 30 lakh cases of Covid-19 infections. The number may seem small in comparison to the numbers reported by other states like Maharashtra, but Kerala with its small population of 3.50 crores, has a bigger fraction of infected people. One of the reasons explained for the continuing rise in numbers is the better reporting of infections by the state. In other states like Maharashtra, there are at least an estimated 30 unreported cases per 100 cases, whereas, in Kerala, there are less than 5 unreported cases per 100 reported cases.
How to control Covid-19?
- The infected person should isolate self in a well-ventilated room.
- Everyone should use a triple layer medical mask, or pair a medical mask with a cotton one. The mask should not be used for more than 8 hours. It should be discarded even earlier if it has already become unclean or wet.
- Those constantly in contact with an infected person, should use proper masks and equipment, or a PPE kit.
- Mask should be discarded only after disinfecting it.
- We should always cover our nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing.
- We must not touch surfaces with bare hands, especially in public places.
- We must wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 40 seconds or with an alcohol-based sanitizer.
- We should not share personal items with other people in the household.
- A regular check of the body temperature should be kept.
- Prompt consultation with a physician is necessary if any symptoms are noticed.
- We should get ourselves and our family members vaccinated against the virus.
Also read: Biological Warfare: An Emerging Threat
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