A MEMO FOR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS. Coronavirus infection

Coronavirus infection (coronavirus 2019-nCo)

Coronavirus infection is an acute viral disease with a predominant lesion of the upper respiratory tract caused by an RNA-genomic virus of the genus Betacoronavirus of the family Coronaviridae.

Reservoir and source of infection: a sick person or animal (the disease is an anthropozoonosis).

The mechanism of transmission: airborne (virus release when coughing, sneezing, talking), airborne-dust, contact and fecal-oral (there are no exact data at the moment). Transmission paths and factors: air, food, household items, animals.

Incubation period: from 2 to 14 days, more often 2-7 days (there is no exact data at the moment, in the media from 1 day, on average 7-10 days).

Period of infection: the entire incubation period, including in the absence of symptoms.

Susceptibility and immunity: susceptibility to the pathogen is high in all age groups population.

Clinical picture:

• increased body temperature in > 90 % of cases;
• cough (dry or with a small amount of sputum) in 80 % of cases;
• chest tightness in> 20 % of cases
• shortness of breath in 55% of cases.
• myalgia and fatigue (44%);
• sputum production (28%).

It was also found that among the first symptoms of 2019-nCoV infection may be headaches (8%), hemoptysis (5%), diarrhea (3%), nausea. These symptoms at the onset of infection can be observed in the absence of an increase in body temperature.

Determination of a case suspected of 2019-nCoV infection:

Suspicion of 2019-nCoV infection should occur in the clinic of ARVI, bronchitis or pneumonia, especially severe course, in combination with a characteristic epidemiological history:

• visit in the last 14 days before the first symptoms of epidemic problems in 2019-ncovcountries and regions (primarily Wuhan, China),
• close contacts over the past 14 days with persons under surveillance for suspicion for 2019-nCoV infection, which subsequently became ill,
• the presence of close contacts over the past 14 days with persons who have been laboratory-confirmed with the diagnosis of 2019-nCoV infection.

In case of suspected 2019-nCoV infection-hospitalization of the patient in an infectious hospital. dedicated medical vehicles.

Medical personnel who provide care to patients with coronavirus infection 2019-nCoV and if this infection is suspected, as well as drivers of specialized medical vehicles, should be provided with funds personal protective equipment: caps, anti-plague (surgical) gowns, respirators (type NIOSH-certified N95, EU FFP2 or similar). When transporting patients, the protective clothing of medical workers is changed after each patient. In the presence of an isolated cab of vehicles, the driver must be dressed in overalls.

Medical personnel in contact with a patient suspected of having this coronavirus infection should not touch the eyes, nose, and mouth with your hands, including with gloves. Hygienic treatment of hands with the use of skin alcohol antiseptics should be carried out before contact with the patient, before any procedure, after contact with the patient's biomaterials and objects in his environment.

Source: Coronavirus