Corona virus – A virus causing severe lung disease that started in China has spread to 27 other countries, including the UK. As of 24th of February 2020, the virus had infected 77, 234 people in China, with 2,594 of them eventually dying.

In latest news about the epidemic, Iraj Harirchi, Iran’s deputy health minister, and Mahmoud Sadeghi, an MP, have tested positive for the virus.

Iran’s deputy health minister has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a tweet by the ministry’s media adviser and a report by the semi-official ILNA news agency.

Iran’s deputy health minister has been infected with the new coronavirus, a ministry official has said, amid a major outbreak in the Islamic republic. “The coronavirus test for Mr Harirchi, the deputy health minister who was on the front lines combating the coronavirus, was positive,” Alireza Vahabzadeh, a media adviser to the health minister, said in a tweet.

Iraj Harirchi coughed occasionally and appeared to be sweating during a press conference on Monday with government spokesman Ali Rabiei. The semi-official ILNA news agency also reported Harirchi had contracted the virus.

Typically, the virus starts with a fever, followed by a dry cough. After a week, it leads to shortness of breath and some patients require hospital treatment. The incubation period – between infection and showing any symptoms – lasts up to 14 days, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). However, some researchers say it may be as long as 24 days. And Chinese scientists say some people may be infectious even before their symptoms appear.

Right now, treatment relies on the basics – keeping the patient’s body going, including breathing support, until their immune system can fight off the virus. However, the work to develop a vaccine is under way and it is hoped there will be human trials before the end of the year. Hospitals are also testing anti-viral drugs to see if they have an impact.

As far as Africa is concerned, there has only been one tested and confirmed case – in North Africa, Egpyt and as far as treatment goes, the WHO has started sending kits to laboratories around the continent to ensure they have the capacity to deal with the virus and also help test samples from other countries if needed. For Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has put in place quick and diverse strategies to prevent importation of cases into country. A multi-sectoral Coronavirus Preparedness Group has continued to carry out regular epidemic intelligence gathering, enhanced surveillance at the points of entry into the country, intensive risk communications, strengthening laboratory capacity for testing, placing National First Rapid Response Team to highly pathogenic infections on alert and scaling up of Public Health Emergency Operation Centres in states etc.

For cautious methods, it has been advised that all non-essential travel to China should be delayed, until the outbreak is contained. Also, travellers from Nigeria to China should, at all times until the virus is contained, avoid contact with sick people, animals (alive or dead) and animal markets.

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