CORONAVIRUS (COVID-2019)

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that causes 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). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.
Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humas. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.

What are the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 infection?

Patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome and sometimes death.

How to prevent coronavirus?

The best way to prevent the spread of this virus is to avoid or limit contact with people who are showing symptoms of the virus and have traveled to China in the past days.The next best thing you can do is practice good hygiene to prevent bacteria and viruses from spreading.

• Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds at a time with warm water and soap.
• Don't touch your face, eyes, nose, or mouth when your hands are dirty.
• Don't go out if you're feeling sick or have any cold or flu symptoms.
• Cover your mouth with the inside of your elbow whenever you sneeze or cough. Throw away tissues you use to blow your nose or sneeze right away.
• Keep any objects you touch a lot clean. Use disinfectants on objects like phones, computers, utensils, dishware, and door handles.

What Nurses Need To Know

1. Preparedness, Early Identification, and NotificationDevelop and educate all staff on a preparedness plan that provides infection control procedures and protocols used within your healthcare facility for the early identification, containment, and care of patients with symptoms associated with Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) to prevent spread within your healthcare facility. 
   • Develop inpatient, ambulatory, and home care policies and procedures that are in line with current CDC guidelines for COVID-19
   • Provide training to all personnel on screening and isolation procedures
   • Provide updated training and guidelines on the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as the use of gloves, gowns, masks, eye protection, and a face shield
   • Display clear signage with instructions for the use of PPE
   • Ensure consistent use of proper hand hygiene, standard precautions, contact precautions, and airborne precautions, along with the proper use of a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-Approved N-95 respirator or higher
   • Clearly display signage for patients that lists symptoms and instructions to wear a face mask before entering the healthcare facility if symptoms are present.
   • Incorporate assessment questions to document a detailed travel history when patients present with fever, cough, or respiratory illness. Consider COVID-19 if the patient traveled to China within the last 14 days.
   • Identify, in advance, airborne infection isolation rooms (AIIR) or negative pressure rooms, for quarantine and screening
   • Outline staffing protocols to facilitate care of patients with COVID-19 and to minimize patient-to-patient transmission
   • Have available for immediate notification of Patient’s Under Investigation (PUI) the infection control personnel at your facility and the local and state health department. Click here for additional Recommendations for Reporting, Testing, and Specimen Collection and the fillable COVID-19 PUI case investigation form
   • For Patients Under Investigation (PUI), follow the Criteria to Guide Evaluation of PUI for COVID-19
2. Isolation, Quarantine, Monitoring, and HospitalizationThe CDC recommends several steps for identification and maintenance of COVID-19 along with detailed guidelines for isolation precautions to prevent transmission. Have clearly displayed a flowchart for early identification and assessment of COVID-19 At this time, the exact mode(s) of transmission remain undetermined, but person-to-person transmission has been identified.
   1. Have masks available for PUI to don before entering the healthcare facility
   2. Once identified, isolate the patient to airborne infection isolation rooms (AIIR) or negative pressure room and keep the door closed. Conduct the assessment in this room.
   3. Healthcare personnel entering the room should use standard precautions, contact precautions, airborne precautions, and eye protection (goggles or a face shield)
   4. Don Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) before entering the room
   5. Have guidelines for the proper use of PPE displayed throughout the healthcare facility
   6. Notify your infection control personnel and the local and state health department of suspected cases
3. How to Educate Your Patients and Minimize Spread within the CommunityPer the CDC, it is known that coronavirus is part of a large family of viruses that can cause illness in people and animals.¹ While the mode(s) of transmission of COVID-19 remain under investigation, the CDC provides the following interim guidance to help prevent COVID-19 from spreading among people in homes and communities⁴:
   • Stay home except to get medical care, do not use public transportation or taxis
   • Call first before visiting your healthcare provider to notify of the need for evaluation for COVID-19. Follow the instructions provided by your healthcare team.
   • Separate yourself from other people in your home, utilize a separate bathroom
   • Wear a facemask
   • Cover your coughs and sneezes
   • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
   • Avoid sharing household items
   • Monitor your symptoms
   • For a full list of guidelines and recommended actions for preventing the spread of Coronavirus visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/guidance-prevent-spread.html

COVID-19 latest update:

Cases in South Korea soar to 433 due to church and hospital clusters

By Euronews with AFP, AP - last updated 22/02/2020- 20:38

Cases of COVID-19 coronavirus soared in South Korea as the country confirmed 433 on Saturday, sparking fears about greater transmission outside China.
At least 17 patients are in critical condition, the country's vice health minister said, while health workers tried to screen thousands of patients.
The eight-fold increase in cases was in part linked to a religious organisation primarily in Daegu, South Korea's fourth-largest city, the country's centres for disease control and prevention (KCDC) said.
The controversial Shincheonji church closed its 74 churches and affiliated institutions for quarantine. It expressed "deep regret" that many patients contracted the virus in its community.
The situation has also opened up the church to more criticism for its controversial beliefs.
"Shincheonji followers believe Lee Man-hee [the founder] is immortal and has an eternal life,'' said Ji-il Tark at Busan Presbyterian University in South Korea. He added that they often sit close together in services and must attend services.
The church said they were cooperating with the quarantine and denounced other Christian groups' claims as false.
Cases at the nearby Cheongdo Daenam hospital in South Korea also skyrocketed.
The KCDC warned anyone "who has attended a service at Shincheonji Church or visited Cheongdo Daenam hospital in February" to "stay home and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities".
Israelis and Palestinians are asked to quarantine themselves
Israeli and Palestinian health authorities asked people who have been in close contact with a group of South Korean tourists recently to quarantine themselves, Saturday.
The request came after South Korea informed Israel that nine members of the group who toured Israel and the West Bank for a week this month tested positive for the new virus.
The tourists were diagnosed upon returning home.
Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that a South Korean airliner that landed at the country's Ben Gurion airport Saturday evening will be sent back to Seoul after 12 Israelis on board are evacuated and quarantined.
The airplane was taxied away from the allotted terminal.
Israel's Health Ministry said it's investigating whether the Korean tourists had transmitted the virus while in Israel country.
The ministry published a list of places the tourists visited, including churches in Jerusalem and other cities, and instructed people who came into close contact with the group to notify the ministry and quarantine themselves for 14 days.
A similar warning was issued by the Palestinian health ministry.
On Friday, Israel said a passenger who was quarantined on a cruise ship in Japan was diagnosed with the virus after he was flown home with a group of 11 Israelis, making it the first case to be reported inside Israel. The others are in quarantine.
Three other Israelis are being treated in Japan after contracting the virus on the cruise ship.
There have been no cases recorded in the Palestinian territories.
China says the daily case count is decreasing
Chinese authorities have said the daily count of new cases has decreased, reporting 397 new ones.
Most of the new cases and many of the deaths were in Hubei province where the outbreak began.
There have been over 2,000 deaths in mainland China due to COVID-19.
China had severely restricted travel and imposed strict quarantine measures to stop the virus from spreading.
But a few Chinese provinces began easing restrictions after reporting no new cases in recent days, the Associated Press reported.
Iran reports a sixth death from the virus
Iranian health authorities reported a sixth death on Saturday.
The governor of Markazi province told the official IRNA news agency that tests of a patient who recently died in the central city of Arak were positive for the virus.
Earlier on Saturday, health authorities reported a fifth death from the coronavirus and said the fatality was among 10 new confirmed cases in Iran. It was not immediately clear whether the sixth fatality was among those 10.
So far, 28 cases have been confirmed in Iran, including the five who died. People are being treated for the virus in at least four different cities, including the capital, Tehran, where some pharmacies had already run out of masks and hand sanitiser. Other cities are Qom, Arak and Rasht.
The virus loomed over a nationwide parliamentary election in Iran on Friday. Many voters went to the polls wearing face masks.
Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour made Saturday's announcement for the latest figures on state TV, but did not specify when the fifth death occurred.
Two people had died earlier Friday from COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Authorities reported two deaths previously this week.
Jahanpour said that of the 10 newly detected cases, two were in the capital of Tehran and eight were in the city of Qom.
That's where the first two elderly patients died on Wednesday. He said the two patients in the capital had visited Qom or had links with the city.
Minoo Mohraz, an Iranian health ministry official, had said Friday that the virus "possibly came from Chinese workers who work in Qom and travelled to China." She did not elaborate.
A Chinese company has been building a solar power plant in Qom.
As a preventive measure, Iran has closed schools in Tehran, Qom, Arak and three other provinces.
Also, the city of Tehran closed down all bistros and water fountains in the city's subway stations until further notice.
Authorities also suspended popular football matches for 10 days and additional measures include daily cleanings of metro train cars and city buses.
Saudi Arabia takes preventive measures
Saudi Arabia announced that citizens and residents of the kingdom are not permitted to travel to Iran following the spread of the virus there.
Anyone previously in Iran will only be permitted entry to the country after the 14-day incubation period of the virus has passed.
The decision, while not specifically mentioning Iranian nationals, directly impacts thousands of Iranians who travel to Mecca and Medina for Islamic pilgrimages, effectively barring them from entry to Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom has already barred its citizens and residents from travel to China.


References:
https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
https://www.healthline.com/health/coronavirus-covid-19#complications
https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/work-environment/health-safety/disaster-preparedness/coronavirus/