The Association of Bloggers of Cameroon, translated into French as l’Association des Blogueurs du Cameroun (ABC), has been in action to join the rest of the world to fight against coronavirus (COVID-19), ever since the World Health Organization declared the virus as a pandemic on March 11, 2020.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause illnesses such as the common cold, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). In December 2019, a new coronavirus was identified called COVID-19, as the cause of a disease outbreak that originated in Wuhan, Hubei Province in China.
To date,the outbreak of this pandemic has thousands of lives, while over a million of others still remain infected with the virus. There is no doubt that COVID-19 is a deadly virus that has caused a lot of casualties in the last few months.. Therefore, there is a need to sensitize the population by educating them on identifying its symptoms, its transmission from person to person and understanding how to prevent the further spread of this deadly virus.
The main focus here is primarily on the symptoms that cause COVID-19. Knowing the symptoms of this deadly disease will help in the early fight and hence it’s prevention. So many cases have been reported globally and in some cases, many people who tested positive did not have or show any symptoms. The showing of no symptoms is referred to as asymptomatic. This is said to be very dangerous and problematic as an asymptomatic person can still spread the virus around and not even know that they have COVID-19.
SYMPTOMS OF CORONAVIRUS
General symptoms of COVID-19:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Tiredness
- Aches
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
In other cases, most people experience a loss of smell of taste.
The severity of COVID-19 symptoms can range from mild to severe. As previously mentioned, some people may have no symptoms at all. People who are older or who already have chronic medical conditions such as lung disease, heart diseases or diabetes, or who have compromised immune systems are exposed to higher risk of serious illness. This is similar to what is seen with other respiratory illnesses such as influenza.
If you have COVID-19 symptoms or you have been in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, contact a doctor or professional medical personnel for medical advice. Be honest enough to communicate any health challenges that you face. If someone has emergency COVID-19 signs and symptoms such as trouble breathing, chest pain or pressure, confusion, or blue lips or face, seek medical attention immediately.
In Cameroon, If you are facing the above health challenges and wish to contact the health authorities for screening by simply dial *063# as seen on the photo below.
If you have respiratory symptoms but you are not and have not been in an area with ongoing community spread, contact a doctor or clinic for medical advice. It is important to let the doctor know if you have other chronic medical conditions, such as heart disease or lung disease. This way, they can better evaluate your condition and provide the right measures necessary.
As the pandemic progresses, it’s important to make sure reliable health care is available for those in greatest need. See photo below by #MINISANTE.
It’s unclear exactly how contagious the new coronavirus is. Data has shown that it spreads from person to person among those in close contact within approximately 6 feet (2 meters). The virus spreads by respiratory droplets released when someone with the virus coughs, sneezes or talks or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose
Some recent reports and findings have it that, the disease could be airborne. Other reports indicate that COVID-19 can survive on surfaces, although it is not clear as to how long it can survive on surfaces for. Therefore, it can also spread if a person touches a surface with the virus on it and then touches his or her mouth, nose or eyes.
To protect yourself, wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. In a situation where soap and water are not available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol is recommended.
To summarize,the World Health Organization recommends the following steps to be taken to protect yourself and to help stop the virus:
- Stay home as much as possible
- Practice social distancing by keeping a safe distance away from people who are unwell
- Wash hands as often as possible with soap and water
- Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing (preferably with a tissue or flexed elbow)
- If you are not feeling well, call your doctor and seek medical attention as soon as possible
Cameroonian’s with COVID-19 or who suspect they may have COVID-19 should use the following emergency numbers (as seen below) to report their concerns or if faced with COVID-19 symptoms.
For Cameroonians who are stranded abroad (outside of Cameroon), the following official telephone numbers can be used to get medical assistance as provided by the State as seen below:
Follow the campaign against coronavirus initiated by l’Association du Blogueurs Cameroun on Twitter using the Hashtag #BloggersvsCovid19.
