Novel Coronavirus - A Review of the Pandemic Scare

Novel Coronavirus - A Review of the Pandemic Scare

Unless you live under a rock, chances are you've well aware of COVID19, the novel and potentially 'lethal' coronavirus.

Ground zero is Wuhan City, Hubei Province in China. On January 27, 2020, China reported 2,835 confirmed cases across at least 29 provinces, including 177 severe cases and 76 deaths (including a retired doctor working with coronavirus patients in Wuhan). Thirty-four patients had recovered and were discharged on January 22, 2020. The very first case was reported December 21, 2019. According to ProMED International Society for Infectious Diseases:

"Patients' clinical manifestations were consistent with viral pneumonia. Most patients had severe and nonproductive cough following illness onset, some had dyspnea, and almost all had normal or decreased leukocyte counts and radiographic evidence of pneumonia.

Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market had western and eastern sections, and 15 environmental specimens collected in the western section were positive for 2019-nCoV virus through RT-PCR testing and genetic sequencing analysis. Despite extensive searching, no animal from the market has thus far been identified as a possible source of infection!

On January 21, 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first U.S. case. Cases were also reported in Canada, Australia, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, France, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore and Saudi Arabia. On January 22, 2020, China shut down all transport networks in and out of Wuhan — a city with a population of 11 million — in an effort to contain the spread of the disease.

What Did You Need to Know?

1. Like other coronaviruses, such as the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), this new coronavirus (dubbed 2019-nCoV), is suspected of being zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted between animals and humans.The disease itself has been named "novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia" NCIP.
2. The elderly appear particularly vulnerable.
3. Very few children have been reported with NCIP
4. A global roll-out of a coronavirus vaccine would kill over 7000 people
5. The hysteria being drummed up follows a now well-worn pattern where the population is kept in a perpetual state of anxiety and fear about microbes so that drug companies (aided by government health officials) can come to the rescue with yet another expensive (and potentially mandatory) drug or vaccine.
6. China's first maximum-security virology laboratory (biosecurity level 4) designed for the study of the world's most dangerous pathogens opened its doors — in Wuhan. Is it pure coincidence that Wuhan City is now the epicenter of this novel coronavirus infection?
7. Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, the World Economic Forum and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation sponsored a novel coronavirus pandemic preparedness exercise on October 18, 2019, in New York called "Event 201." The simulation predicted a global death toll of 65 million people within a span of 18 months.

Signs and Symptoms of(2019 nCoV)

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), signs and symptoms of NCIP in its initial stages included:

Fever Fatigue Sore throat Shortness of breath Dry cough In more severe cases, the infection leads to pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome and kidney failure.

The WHO Rapid Advise note detailing how to care for patients presenting mild symptoms of NCIP in the home can be found here for those of you who require more information.

Finally, according to Peter Horby, professor of emerging infectious diseases and global health at the Centre of Tropical Medicine and Global Health at the University of Oxford, NCIP has the hallmark signs of "classic viral pneumonia," and since there were no antivirals available for NCIP, the focus of care was to support the lungs and other organs until the patient recovers.

• Naturopathic Steps for Prevention and Health Promotion - Key recommendations — which applies to all infections, both bacterial and viral — is to frequently wash your hands with soap and water. Also, be sure to cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, and avoid close contact with anyone exhibiting symptoms of cold or influenza.

Boosting your immune system with regular sensibly controlled sun exposure and, when unable to do that, taking oral vitamin D3/K2. Quercetin may offer benefits as a treatment for SARS coronavirus infections. According to a study in the Journal of Virology, "quercetin offers great promise as a potential drug in the clinical treatment of SARS.

Resveratrol is another antioxidant that could be useful. It's been shown to inhibit MERS-CoV infection, in vitro.

Liposomal Vitamin C is one of the most widely recognised and used anti-oxidants in the world. This anti-oxidant plays a critical role in helping the immune system, joints and arteries heal and function properly.

Living in a constant state of anxiety and fear is not healthy. Finding ways to lower stress through regular exercise, spending time in nature, practicing meditation and getting plenty of sleep on a daily basis all help optimize immune function and decrease the effects of stress

For further advice and support with regards to prevention and implementing optimising strategies to boost optimum health and wellbeing, please get in touch at asc@hopespring.clinic to book your consultation a registered Naturopath or call 07903 239902.