What is Coronavirus and COVID-19?

What is coronavirus? In early 2020, a new virus began generating headlines all over the world because of the unprecedented speed of its transmission.

Covid-19 first originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan. COVID-19 has reached more than 140 countries so far. The number of people who died due to its infection has crossed more than 6000. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it an epidemic. Governments around the world are focusing on awareness of the corona virus. Experts says that it can be controlled only by preventing its infection from spreading. Corona virus can be prevented better by identifying its symptoms. The disease, that leads to illnesses ranging from common cold, fever, shortness of breath to pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death, is caused by a kind of coronavirus never seen before.

Also See: Covid-19: The History of Pandemics

This led to the virus initially being called novel coronavirus 2019 (nCov-19). The disease was later formally labelled Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19). In the media, it’s being widely called coronavirus.

What are the most common COVID19 symptoms?

They are very similar to common cold, or hayfever – which is a bitch, as we are almost in Spring. But there are some key differences.

• In the beginning of the illness COVID19 gives you a slight fever (37.5 °C);
• COVID19 does NOT generally give you a runny nose – the nose usually stays dry;
• Later, COVID19 gets you a dry cough, and thus begin the infection of your lungs, giving you its typical sensation of shortness of breath, which CAN become serious if you are affected by the disease and require hospitalization.

How do you protect yourself from this coronavirus?

• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly for at least 20 seconds. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects people frequently touch.

Also See: Hantavirus Explained: Causes, signs and symptoms

Coronavirus Helpline Numbers of States & Union Territory

World Health Organisation (WHO) declared coronavirus as a pandemic. While cases in India have seen a surge in the past few days, it’s time for caution and not panic. Ministry of health and family welfare has released a list of all COVID19 helpline numbers for various States/UTs.

Here are all the list of helpline numbers:

COVID 19 helpline number for the States of India

S. No	States in India	COVID 19 Helpline Nos.
1	Coronavirus Helpline Number Andhra Pradesh	0866-2410978
2	Coronavirus Helpline Number Arunachal Pradesh	9436055743
3	Coronavirus Helpline Number Assam	6913347770
4	Coronavirus Helpline Number Bihar	104
5	Coronavirus Helpline Number Chhattisgarh	104
6	Coronavirus Helpline Number Goa	104
7	Coronavirus Helpline Number Gujarat	104
8	Coronavirus Helpline Number Haryana	8558893911
9	Coronavirus Helpline Number Himachal Pradesh	104
10	Coronavirus Helpline Number Jharkhand	104
11	Coronavirus Helpline Number Karnataka	104
12	Coronavirus Helpline Number Kerala	0471-2552056
13	Coronavirus Helpline Number Madhya Pradesh	0755-2527177
14	Coronavirus Helpline Number Maharashtra	020-26127394
15	Coronavirus Helpline Number Manipur	3852411668
16	Coronavirus Helpline Number Meghalaya	108
17	Coronavirus Helpline Number Mizoram	102
18	Coronavirus Helpline Number Nagaland	7005539653
19	Coronavirus Helpline Number Odisha	9439994859
20	Coronavirus Helpline Number Punjab	104
21	Coronavirus Helpline Number Rajasthan	0141-2225624
22	Coronavirus Helpline Number Sikkim	104
23	Coronavirus Helpline Number Tamil Nadu	044-29510500
24	Coronavirus Helpline Number Telangana	104
25	Coronavirus Helpline Number Tripura	0381-2315879
26	Coronavirus Helpline Number Uttarakhand	104
27	Coronavirus Helpline Number Uttar Pradesh	18001805145
28	Coronavirus Helpline Number West Bengal	1800313444222, 03323412600,

COVID 19 helpline number for Union Territory of India

S. No	Union Territory (UT) in India	COVID 19 Helpline Nos.
1	Coronavirus Helpline Number Andaman and Nicobar Islands	03192-232102
2	Coronavirus Helpline Number Chandigarh	9779558282
3	Coronavirus Helpline Number Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu	104
4	Coronavirus Helpline Number Delhi	011-22307145
5	Coronavirus Helpline Number Jammu & Kashmir	01912520982, 0194-2440283
6	Coronavirus Helpline Number Ladakh	1982256462
7	Coronavirus Helpline Number Lakshadweep	104
8	Coronavirus Helpline Number Puducherry	104

The number of coronavirus cases in India has seen a drastic increase in the last weeks. As the entire nation is taking safety measures to halt the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Also See: Coronavirus test centres in India: All you need to know