CORONAVIRUS
CORONAVIRUS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS CORONAVIRUS ?
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). The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new strain of coronavirus that has not been previously seen in humans. It was first reported on the 31st of December, 2019 from Wuhan, China.
WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF COVID-19 ?
Scientists and public health officials are working hard to identify the source of the COVID-19. Coronaviruses can be transmitted between animals and people, or from person-to-person. For this novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the initial transmission is suspected to be from an animal source, however the specific animal is yet to be confirmed. Person-to-person transmission has occurred.
Till date, there is no confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in Nigeria, however it is important that people and the government are fully informed on necessary details.
HOW DO PEOPLE BECOME INFECTED WITH THIS VIRUS ?
People get infected by the virus when it is transmitted from animals to humans, or person-to-person usually after close contact with an infected patient, for example, in a household or healthcare setting.
For this novel coronavirus (COVID-19), while most initial transmission appeared to be zoonotic, person-to-person transmission has been confirmed.

novel coronavirus (nCoV)

Coronavirus Hygiene Practices
- WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19 ?
- CAN THE VIRUS BE TRANSMITTED FROM PERSON TO PERSON ?
- IS THERE A VACCINE FOR COVID-19 ?
- DOES TREATMENT EXIST FOR COVID-19 ?
- DO PEOPLE RECOVER FROM THE COVID-19 INFECTION ?
- AM I AT RISK OF CONTACTINGCOVID 19 FROM A PACKAGE OR PRODUCTS THAT ARRIVE FROM CHINA ?
- AM I AT RISK OF CONTACTING COVID-19 FROM ANIMALS OR ANIMAL PRODUCTS IMPORTED FROM CHINA ?
- ARE HEALTH WORKERS AT RISK FROM COVID-19 ?
- WHAT CAN BE DONE TO AVOID BECOMING INFECTED ?
The symptoms of the COVID-19include;
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of Breath
- Breathing difficulties that are not explained by any other illness
Unwell people who have recently returned from China should be examined promptly by their physician regardless of the type of illness they have.
Yes, there is evidence of person-to-person transmission in the COVID-19outbreak.
Currently, there is no available vaccine to protect against infection from COVID-19.
There is no specific treatment and thus supportive care is the main focus of management based on the symptoms and severity at presentation. Supportive care for infected persons has been found to be highly effective.
From current evidence about 6235 persons out of 60,398 persons with the disease have recovered, and there have been 1369 deaths. Most deaths have occurred in patients with underlying health issues and in the elderly.
Currently there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with imported goods or packages from China and there has been no known case of COVID-19 in Nigeria associated with imported goods.
There is no evidence to suggest that animals or animal products imported from China pose a risk for spreading COVID-19 in Nigeria. This is a rapidly evolving situation and information will be updated as it becomes available.
Yes. Transmission has occurred in health care facilities, including spread from patients to health care providers.
To reduce the risk of infection or spread of COVID-19, members of the public are advised to adhere to the following hand and respiratory hygiene measures:
- Wash your hands regularly with soap under running water and use hand sanitizers frequently.
- Cover your mouth and nose properly with tissue paper when sneezing and/or coughing and immediately dispose of the tissue in a covered waste bin. After this, wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer.
- You may also cough into your elbow if a disposable tissue is not available. Re-use of handkerchiefs is strongly discouraged.
- If you become sick while travelling, you should avoid close contact with other people while you are symptomatic and cover your mouth and nose with a medical face mask.
- Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.
- Travellers from China who show no symptoms on arrival, but who have a fever and cough within 14 days of arrival in Nigeria, should contact their physician.
- Healthcare workers are always advised to observe standard precautions for infection prevention and control when attending to patients and take a travel history.
3 comments
Ebuka
March 10, 2020 at 1:56 pm
Nice information, I hope the earlier announcement of the virus in Nigeria remains invalid.
Triumph
March 17, 2020 at 3:58 pm
I want to confirm if this virus (CORONA) can be transferred to unaffected person via saliva
Ofureigbelos
March 29, 2020 at 10:47 pm
Yes it can, if saliva of an infected person drops on your face; that’s why we are advised to maintain social distancing (WHO recommends 1-meter apart from the next person). Worse way would be by kissing an infected person… So remember #StaySafe #StayHealthy #DontPanic