COVID-19 Outbreak And What Filipinos Need To Know

Isaias Lijauco

News

Mar 16, 2020

The Philippine President, Rodrigo Duterte announced an ‘enhanced’ community quarantine for the whole Luzon island to stop or slow down the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Our newfeed has been flooded with COVID-19 articles and news but just what is the nCOV or COVID-19 virus and what can we do to not get infected?

COVID-19

The Coronavirus Disease 19 (or COVID-19 for short) has claimed the lives of 4000 people across the globe and afflicted countless more. And now, it has made its presence felt in our archipelago, threatening our well-being and peace. To help you fight this disease, you need quality information. And here’s what we have on the Coronavirus outbreak in the Philippines.

Cause

Coronavirus Disease 19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2, a strain that will specifically target your respiratory system. Not much is known about this virus before the outbreak in China began.

Transmission

COVID-19 is spread via human-to-human transmission. That is, it will be spread by the infected person through coughing or sneezing. Thankfully, the disease is not airborne.

Aside from direct human transmission, the virus can also be indirectly spread through objects touched by the victim. Healthy people who touch any of these things then touch their eyes, noses, and mouths will also get infected.

Symptoms

People infected with COVID-19 will either show flu-like symptoms or become carriers. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the signs will manifest themselves after two to 14 days. Common symptoms include the following:

  • Fever
  • Dry cough
  • Fatigue
  • Sputum production
  • Shortness of breath
  • Muscle pain or joint pain
  • Sore throat
  • Headache
  • Chills

Certain cases also report of other symptoms like diarrhea, nasal congestion, and hemoptysis. And it was noted that infected children show milder symptoms than adults.

Prevention

As of right now, there are still no specific medications or techniques that can cure the Coronavirus. However, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19 by taking a few simple steps, like these five:

  • Regular and thorough hand-washing (Use soap or any alcohol-based products).
  • Keep a distance of at least 1 meter or 3 feet from other people, especially those who are coughing or sneezing.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
  • Maintain good respiratory hygiene habits. These include covering your mouth and nose whenever you cough or sneeze, as well as properly and immediately disposing used tissues.
  • Update yourself on the latest COVID-19 news and hotspots (cities or local areas where COVID-19 is spreading widely). Avoid traveling to these places, and ignore hoaxes and fake news.

The First Case

The Coronavirus outbreak in the Philippines began on January 30, 2020. A Chinese national who travelled from Wuhan was admitted to San Lazaro Hospital and was later confirmed to have the disease. Since then, there are 140 COVID-19 cases in the country, 72 of which are unconfirmed.

Measures were taken by the government in an effort to battle Coronavirus in the Philippines. These include travel bans to mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and South Korea, mobilizing the Department of Health (DOH) to impose preventative measures, and imposing a partial lockdown on Metro Manila.

Final Thoughts

The COVID-19 threat rising to pandemic levels across the Philippines and the rest of the world can easily daunt anyone. Still, it’s best to keep yourself calm and avoid panicking in times like this. By keeping our cool, we’ll all be able to overcome this crisis.