COVID -19 (SARS-COV-2)
什麼是COVID -19 (SARS-COV-2)
A new and novel virus called SARS-CoV-2 that can cause a severe respiratory illness (called COVID-19) emerged in the city of Wuhan, China at the end of December 2019 and subsequently spread quickly around the world to create a global pandemic This virus is a member of the coronavirus family that includes the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus (SARS) and the Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus as well as others that can cause the common cold. The new virus causes an illness that affects multiple organs, including the lungs, heart, brain, blood vessels, kidneys and others. In a matter of months, this virus caused a major epidemic of respiratory illness in the city of Wuhan and the province of Hubei with spread to all the other provinces of China. Almost simultaneously, international travellers carried this virus to many other countries creating minor and major epidemics around the world.
The situation is still fluid and evolving at this time (September 2020) with some countries achieving control of transmission (e.g., New Zealand) while others are experiencing sudden surges in cases after the relaxation of public health measures.
您如何獲得COVID -19 (SARS-COV-2)？
The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is spread by respiratory droplets and aerosols that are generated when an infected person laughs, shouts, coughs or sneezes. These microscopic droplets that contain the virus are then inhaled into the respiratory tract of the close contact. The virus can also be transferred by hands touching the eyes, nose and mouth when contaminated with secretions from an ill person.
Depending on the type of surface, temperature, and humidity the virus may persist of various surfaces for days. However, it is not clear how infectious virus particles on surfaces may be.
易感性和抵抗力
All persons are susceptible.
有哪些症狀？
A majority of the infected people develop mild symptoms of respiratory illness, e.g., slight fever and cough. Some infected persons have no symptoms. About 15 per cent of the infected people develop serious illness, with a high fever, dry cough and shortness of breath (indicative of pneumonia). A smaller number, around 5 per cent, require critical care and approximately 1 per cent will die, although the actual mortality rate remains to be defined.
預防措施
迄今為止沒有疫苗。最好的預防措施包括以下呼吸預防措施，特別是：1）避免與患有急性呼吸道感染的人密切接觸； 2）經常洗手，特別是在與病人或其環境直接接觸後；使用肥皂和水至少20秒鐘，或者如果沒有肥皂和水，請使用基於酒精的洗手液； 3）出現急性呼吸道感染症狀的旅客應練習咳嗽禮儀（保持距離，用一次性紙巾或衣物遮蓋咳嗽和打噴嚏，並洗手）。 4）避免前往該病毒活躍傳播的地區； 5）如果在到有傳播途徑的受影響區域後出現症狀，請立即就醫。
通常，幾乎所有國家/地區的公共衛生部門都要求與他人保持2米（約6英尺）的距離，並且在公共場所均要戴上臉罩（口罩）。許多國家限制聚會的規模，以減少人與人之間的聯繫。
治療
There is no specific treatment for COVID-19. Critically ill patients are provided with supportive treatment to facilitate their breathing until recovery.
通常在哪裡發生？
迄今為止（2020年9月），該病毒已從中國傳播到幾乎世界每個國家。
在許多國家，這種疾病的暴發已得到充分證實。在所有放鬆公共衛生措施的主要國家中，感染人數的新高潮正在開始。
