When the world is still fighting with coronavirus pandemic, a new virus in China has claimed a life. Dr Navneet Sood tells you more
The world is already in the grip of Corona pandemic; more than 170 countries are affected, even powerful countries are witnessing tough time with best healthcare systems as death toll is still at rise due to COVID-19. Time when even our entire country is locked down as safety measure, news reports about the outbreak of Hanta virus, which fuelled more fear among the people. Even it was on trend on social media including twitter and facebook and other platforms, hash tags of Hantavirus started running, people from around the world had different opinions and fears associated with this new Hanta virus term, which only made people more furious and tensed. It all started few days back when Global Times reported about a man travelling in Yunnan province in China, who died while travelling in a bus, he was found to be infected from Hantavirus, and the fellow passengers were also tested for the same. Here before we get into details about this news report and Hantavirus we all must observe it as our social responsibility to not spread panic. Considering this sensitive time entire world facing, it is highly required to be well informed rather than getting flown away with a mere news report. Keep yourselves well informed with the authentic sources as rumours are also rife about COVID-19. The sudden outbreak of Hanta Virus may have made scared people but it is not as dangerous as COVID-19 which is already world is fighting with.
According to CDC (Centre for Disease Control) the origin of Hanta virus is in urine and excretion of rodents like rats, squirrels which cause Hanta virus diseases and HPS (Hanta Virus Pulmonary Syndrome). Now it may have scared the people but it's not a new virus in the list of viruses. Even Chinese media has reported that it is not a new virus and has been infecting human race already since many years.
There is already a history available on the same as to bring this new fear down. It goes back in the history, after Korean War (1951-1953), In year 1978 in South Korean Hemerologic fever was isolated from small infected field rodent near Hantan River, and the virus was named after Hantan river. Later in 1981 it was termed as hantavirus.
Symptoms: First of all infected mouse can cause this infection to anybody around. A person may start feeling ill after getting for one to five weeks around an infected rat or any other rodent, and this chance is also rare. Initial symptoms may include:-
Types:
The writer is pulmonology consultant at Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital
Keep distance
The sigh of relief is Hantavirus is rare and can only infect people who have close contact with rodent’s urine, saliva or excretion where this virus comes from, at the same time it rarely transmits from one human being to another. Although it has caused one life according to news reports still as the time suggests COVID-19 is the bigger problem world is facing and Hantavirus is not as dangerous as it is, yes precautions can be taken, basic cleanliness and not coming in the contact of such rats can prevent even this risk as well.
As COVID-19 is changing people's lifestyle all around the world, it can be expected that the spread of this virus will be controlled in the wake of COIVD-19 and lessons it has taught to the human race. At the same time this is not the first time world is fighting against virus pandemic. Black death, SARS, plague are also some of the examples from the history which gave tougher time to human time and again. We only need to learn, take precautions and not to repeat same mistakes.