novel coronavirus

  • Will drinking water and gargling with saline solution or vinegar eliminate the Coronavirus?

    A Facebook post suggests that drinking lots of water and gargling with warm water and salt or vinegar eliminates the coronavirus.

    The claim has not been corroborated by any health institution. The WHO says there is currently no specific treatment, drug or vaccine for the Covid-19, although some home remedies may provide comfort and alleviate symptoms.

    A viral Facebook post proffers yet another remedy for the new coronavirus, COVID-19. How? Simply drink lots of and gargle with warm water and salt or vinegar and you are good to go.

    DUBAWA looked into these claims and found no evidence to back them.

    Verification

    According to the World Health Organisation, the incubation period for Covid-19, that is, the period between contracting the virus and exhibiting symptoms ranges between one and 14 days. Symptoms however commonly appear after around five days.

    How does the virus work?

    The virus works by getting inside and taking over the cells of the body.  It first infects the cells lining the throat, airways and lungs and turns them into “coronavirus factories”. The “coronavirus factories” then spew out huge numbers of new viruses that go to infect more cells.

    Will gargling saline solution eliminate the virus?

    This claim has not been corroborated by any health institution. 

    Gargling may soothe a sore throat, a symptom of the new coronavirus. In fact, NHS recommends gargling with warm saline water for adults suffering from sore throats. However, there is no evidence that it kills the virus. The Covid-19, according to Chinese health workers, invades the respiratory tract and therefore cannot be cleaned gargling. 

    Indeed, the WHO, in its Q&A about coronavirus on twitter debunked a similar question of whether gargling mouthwash can protect one from COVID-19. 

    How about drinking lots of Water? Drinking a lot of water and staying hydrated is advised especially when one is unwell. However, it does not prevent coronavirus infection.

    Cures for the Covid-19?

    The Organisation says there is currently “no vaccine and no specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat COVID-2019.” Clinical trials are however ongoing to find a solution to the disease.

    It adds that “some western, traditional or home remedies may provide comfort and alleviate symptoms of COVID-19.”

    WHO’s standard recommendations to prevent infection spread of coronavirus 

    • Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.
    • Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
    • Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
    • Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.
    • Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.
    • Stay informed and follow the advice given by your healthcare provider.
  • Coronavirus… Kills in seconds?

    Facebook user said the Coronavirus is an unknown virus that kills under a few seconds.

    The coronavirus is not unknown nor does it kill ‘under a few seconds.’ The WHO says the virus is part of a family of viruses that includes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). Also, fatality and severity of the disease may be determined by age and other pre-existing health conditions.

    Full Text

    A month post the initial recognition of the novel coronavirus and the media has not slowed down its traction in raising awareness. The problem, however, is amid apprehension amongst people lies misinformation- with this post as an example. The user claims the #coronavirus is an ‘unknown virus’ that kills “under a few seconds”. The user further attached two photos for emphasis. The first photo shows an aerial view of several people lying on a street while some seem to be walking by. The second image featured two people in medical masks.

    But is the coronavirus an ‘unknown virus’ and does it kill that ‘under a few seconds’ as suggested by the post? Also, are the photos related to the coronavirus outbreak? 

    Verification

    The coronaviruses (CoV) “are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV),” according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is therefore not an ‘unknown virus’ as claimed by the post.

    Prior to December 31, 2019, the novel Coronavirus, 2019-nCoV was a new strain that had not been detected in humans.

    Does the coronavirus kill under a few seconds?

    The disease is rarely fatal though. Health authorities have identified age and other pre-existing health conditions to influence the severity of the virus and fatality. 

    “More rarely, the disease can be fatal. Older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as diabetes and heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus” 

    World Health Organisation

    Currently, authorities have confirmed over 20,600 cases in 24 countries. And as of February, reports place the death toll over 360. It stands to reason, if the virus “kills under seconds”, the casualty rate would be in the thousands.

    Photos not related to the novel coronavirus.

    We traced the photo of the two people in medical masks to 17 August 2018. They were taken during the most recent Ebola virus outbreak. The two people pictured were doctors preparing to enter an isolation unit at a hospital in Uganda.

    We traced the second to a photo gallery published by VOA dated March 25, 2014, credited to Reuters. The caption of the photo explained “people lay down in a pedestrian zone as part of an art project in remembrance of the 528 victims of the “Katzbach” Nazi concentration camp, in Frankfurt, March 24, 2014.”

    Read more about the coronavirus here.

Back to top button