“Frequent hand washing and compliance with hygiene rules are the only means to be protected against the coronavirus at the moment. Currently people in Hungary do not need to fear the disease, unless they or others who they are sharing their households with have recently been to China.”, said Dr. Gyula Prinz, infectologist at Semmelweis University.
There are about 400 students from the Far East enrolled at the university, including 52 people from China, who must fill out a detailed questionnaire before starting the spring semester. Based on the answers, the risk of carrying the virus can be assessed. Should there be a risk of infection but without symptoms, the student is subject to a 2-week epidemiological surveillance by the university, while patients with symptoms of possible infection will be transported to the Unified Szent István and Szent László Hospital.
The initial symptoms of the disease do not differ from those of upper respiratory viral infections such as influenza. If one develops cough and dyspnea in addition to upper respiratory complaints and suddenly appearing but long-lasting fever and has recently been to countries infected with the virus, he may turn to the Unified Szent István and Szent László Hospital.
The coronavirus is not a new phenomenon, some of its types have already been detected in patients with upper respiratory tract symptoms in the 1960s and are named after their electron microscopic image that shows their crown, which is similar to the sun. Six strains of the pathogen can infect humans. The disease usually exhibits symptoms of the upper and lower respiratory tract and the intestinal tract, similar to those of the common cold, and is rapidly overcome by a healthy immune system.
The new human coronavirus strain appeared in Wuhan in December 2019 and was identified on January 8. Since then, it has been the cause of the death in about 100 cases.
There is no medicine against the viruses, antibiotics are inefficient, and experts are currently working on developing the vaccine.
The most effective way to prevent the spread of the virus is frequent hand washing and compliance with the rules of hygiene.
Eszter Kovács
Photo Credit: CDC/Dr. Fred Murphy
