CORONA VIRUS(COVID19): THE GRIM REALITY

INTRODUCTION
The 2019 novel corona virus (2019-nCOV) or the severe acute respiratory syndrome
corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerge in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019. And rapidly
spread to the rest of the world. As October 17, 2020 around 39,649,566 cases of corona
virus disease 2019 (COVID 19) and 1,110,198 deaths have been reported. The future
course of this virus is unknown. Since the Knowledge about this virus is rapidly
evolving, readers are urge to update themselves regularly.
Discovery of Corona Virus (Past Corona Viruses)
The History of Corona viruses began in 1965 when Tyrrell and Bynoe found that they
could passage a Virus named B814. It was found in human embryonic tracheal organ
cultures intranasally in human volunteers; colds were produced in a significant
proportion of subjects but Tyrrell and Bynoe were unable to grow agent in the tissue
culture at that time. At about the same time, Hamre and Procknow were able to grow
virus with unusual properties in tissue culture from samples obtained from medical
students with colds. Both B814 and Hamre’ s virus, which she called 229E, were ether-
sensitive and therefore presumably required a lipid-containing coat for effectivity, but
these 2 viruses were not related to any known myxo- or paramyxoviruses. While
working in the laboratory of Robert Chanock at the National Institute if Health, Mclntosh
et al. reported the recovery of multi stains of ether-sensitive agents from the human
respiratory tract by using a technique similar to that of Tyrrell and Bynoe. These viruses
were termed “OC” to designated that they were grown in organ cultures.
Within the same time frame, Almeida and Tyrrell performed electron microscopy on
fluids from organ cultures infected with B814 and found particles that resembled the
infectious bronchitis virus of chickens. The particles were medium sized (80–150 nm),
pleomorphic, membrane-coated, and covered with widely spaced club-shaped surface
projections. The 229E agent identified by Hamre and Procknow and the previous OC
viruses identified by McIntosh et al had a similar morphology.
In the late 1960s, Tyrrell was leading a group of virologists working with the human
strains and a number of animal viruses. These included infectious bronchitis virus,
mouse hepatitis virus and transmissible gastroenteritis virus of swine, all of which had
been demonstrated to be morphologically the same as seen through electron
microscopy. This new group of viruses was named coronavirus (corona denoting the
crown-like appearance of the surface projections) and was later officially accepted as a
new genus of viruses
Ongoing research using serologic techniques has resulted in a considerable amount of
information regarding the epidemiology of the human respiratory coronaviruses. It was
found that in temperate climates, respiratory coronavirus infections occur more often in
the winter and spring than in the summer and fall. Data revealed
that coronavirus infections contribute as much as 35% of the total respiratory viral
activity during epidemics. Overall, he proportions of adult colds produced by
coronaviruses was estimated at 15%.
In the 3 decades after discovery, human strains OC43 and 229E were studied
exclusively, largely because they were the easiest ones to work with. OC43, adapted to
growth in suckling mouse brain and subsequently to tissue culture, was found to be
closely related to mouse hepatitis virus. Strain 229E was grown in tissue culture directly
from clinical samples. The 2 viruses demonstrated periodicity, with large epidemics
occurring at 2-years to 3-year intervals. Strain 229E tended to be epidemic throughout
the United States, whereas strain OC43 was more predisposed to localized outbreaks.
As with many other respiratory viruses, reinfection was common. Infection could occur
at any age, but it was most common in children.
Despite the extensive focus placed exclusively on strains 229E and OC43, it was clear
that there were other coronavirus strains as well. As shown by
Bradburne, coronavirus strain B814 was not serologically identical with either OC43 or
229E. Contributing to the various strain differences in the family of coronaviruses,
McIntosh et al found that 3 of the 6 strains previously identified were only distantly
related to OC43 or 229E.
Epidemiologic and volunteer inoculation studies found that respiratory
coronaviruses were associated with a variety of respiratory illnesses; however, their
pathogenicity was considered to be low. The predominant illness associated with
infections was an upper respiratory infection with occasional cases of pneumonia in
infants and young adults. These viruses were also shown to be able to produce asthma
exacerbations in children as well as chronic bronchitis in adults and the elderly.
While research was proceeding to explore the pathogenicity and epidemiology of the
human coronaviruses, the number and importance of animal coronaviruses were
growing rapidly. Coronaviruses were described that caused disease in multiple animal
species, including rats, mice, chickens, turkeys, calves, dogs, cats, rabbits and pigs.
Animal studies included, but were not limited to, research that focused on respiratory
disorders. Study focus included disorders such as gastroenteritis, hepatitis and
encephalitis in mice; pneumonitis and sialo dacryoadenitis in rats; and infectious
peritonitis in cats. Interest peaked particularly regarding areas of encephalitis produced
by mouse hepatitis virus and peritonitis produced by infectious peritonitis virus in cats.
Pathogenesis of these disease states was various and complex, demonstrating that the
genus as a whole was capable of a wide variety of disease mechanisms. Human and
animal coronaviruses were segregated into 3 broad groups based on their antigenic and
genetic makeup. Group I contained virus 229E and other viruses, group II contained
virus OC43 and group III was made up of avian infectious bronchitis virus and a number
of related avian viruses.

COVID 19

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is

the strain of coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),
the respiratory illness responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Colloquially known as
simply the coronavirus, it was previously referred to by its provisional name, 2019 novel
coronavirus (2019-nCoV), and has also been called human coronavirus 2019 (HCoV-
19 or hCoV-19). The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health
Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020, and a pandemic on 11 March
2020.
SARS-CoV-2 is a Baltimore class IV positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus that
is contagious in humans. As described by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, it is the
successor to SARS-CoV-1, the strain that caused the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak.
Taxonomically, SARS-CoV-2 is a strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related
coronavirus (SARSr-CoV). It is believed to have zoonotic origins and has close genetic
similarity to bat coronaviruses, suggesting it emerged from a bat-borne virus. There is
no evidence yet to link an intermediate host, such as a pangolin, to its introduction to
humans. The virus shows little genetic diversity, indicating that the spillover
event introducing SARS-CoV-2 to humans is likely to have occurred in late 2019.
Epidemiological studies estimate each infection results in 5.7 new ones when no
members of the community are immune and no preventive measures taken. The virus
primarily spreads between people through close contact and via respiratory
droplets produced from coughs or sneezes. It mainly enters human cells by binding to
the receptor angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).
The first known infections from the SARS-CoV-2 strain were discovered in Wuhan,
China. The original source of viral transmission to humans remains unclear, as does
whether the strain became pathogenic before or after the spillover event. Because
many of the first individuals found to be infected by the virus were workers at
the Huanan Seafood Market, it has been suggested that the strain might have
originated from the market. However, other research indicates that visitors may have
introduced the virus to the market, which then facilitated rapid expansion of the
infections. A phylogenetic network analysis of 160 early coronavirus genomes sampled
from December 2019 to February 2020 revealed that the virus type most closely related
to the bat coronavirus was most abundant in Guangdong, China, and designated type
"A". The predominant type among samples from Wuhan, "B", is more distantly related to
the bat coronavirus than the ancestral type "A".
Research into the natural reservoir of the virus strain that caused the 2002–2004 SARS
outbreak has resulted in the discovery of many SARS-like bat coronaviruses, most
originating in the Rhinolophus genus of horseshoe bats. Phylogenetic analysis indicates
that samples taken from Rhinolophus sinicus show a resemblance of 80% to SARS-
CoV-2. Phylogenetic analysis also indicates that a virus from Rhinolophus affinis,
collected in Yunnan province and designated RaTG13, has a 96% resemblance to
SARS-CoV-2

Bats are considered the most likely natural reservoir of SARS-CoV-2, but differences
between the bat coronavirus and SARS-CoV-2 suggest that humans were infected via
an intermediate host. Although studies have suggested some likely candidates, the
number and identities of intermediate hosts remain uncertain. Nearly half of the strain's
genome has a phylogenetic lineage distinct from known relatives.

A phylogenetics study published in 2020 indicates that pangolins are a reservoir host of

SARS-CoV-2-like coronaviruses. However, there is no direct evidence to link pangolins
as an intermediate host of SARS-CoV-2 at this moment. While there is scientific
consensus that bats are the ultimate source of coronaviruses, the pangolin CoV is sister
to both RaTG13 as well as SARS-CoV-2. Based on whole genome sequence similarity,
a pangolin coronavirus candidate strain was found to be less similar than RaTG13, but
more similar than other bat coronaviruses to SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, based
on maximum parsimony and current sample data, a specific population of bats is more
likely to have directly transmitted SARS-CoV-2 to humans than a pangolin, while an
evolutionary ancestor to bats was the source of general coronaviruses.

CORONA VIRUS STRUCTURES

Coronaviruses are medium-sized RNA viruses with a very characteristic appearance in

electron micrographs of negatively stained preparations. The nucleic acid is about 30 kb
long, positive in sense, single stranded and polyadenylated. The RNA is the largest
known viral RNA and codes for a large polyprotein. This polyprotein is cleaved by viral-
encoded proteases to form the following: an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and an
ATPase helicase; a surface hemagglutinin-esterase protein present on OC43 and
several other group II coronaviruses; the large surface glycoprotein (S protein) that
forms the petal-shaped surface projections; a small envelope protein (E protein); a
membrane glycoprotein (M protein); and a nucleocapsid protein (N protein) that forms a
complex with the RNA. The coding functions of several other ORFs are not clear. The
strategy of replication of coronaviruses involves a nested set of messenger RNAs with
common polyadenylated 3-ends. Only the unique portion of the 5-end is
translated. Mutations are common in nature. In addition, coronaviruses are capable of
genetic recombination if 2 viruses infect the same cell at the same time.

All coronaviruses develop in the cytoplasm of infected cells, budding into cytoplasmic
vesicles from the endoplasmic reticulum. These vesicles are either extruded or released
from the cell within the same time frame, and then the cell is destroyed.

All group I coronaviruses, including 229E, use human aminopeptidase N as their cellular
receptor. Mouse hepatitis virus, a group II coronavirus, uses a member of the
carcinoembryonic antigen family as its receptor. The receptor for OC43 is not known,
but it may be 1 of several cell surface molecules, including 9-O-acetylated neuraminic
acid and the HLA-I molecule. The SARS coronavirus uses angiotensin-converting
enzyme II as its cellular receptor.

SYMPTOMS, RISK FACTOR, TRANSMISSITION, DIAGNOSIS, PREVENTION,

VACCINE AND TREATMENT.

 SARS-CoV-2 is spread primarily via respiratory droplets during close face-to-face

contact. Infection can be spread by asymptomatic, presymptomatic, and symptomatic
carriers. The average time from exposure to symptom onset is 5 days, and 97.5% of
people who develop symptoms do so within 11.5 days. The most common symptoms
are fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath. Radiographic and laboratory
abnormalities, such as lymphopenia and elevated lactate dehydrogenase, are common,
but nonspecific.

The virus that causes COVID-19 infects people of all ages. However, evidence to date
suggests that two groups of people are at a higher risk of getting severe COVID-19
disease. These are older people (that is people over 60 years old); and those with
underlying medical conditions (such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic
respiratory disease, and cancer). The risk of severe disease gradually increases with
age starting from around 40 years. It's important that adults in this age range protect.

To test for the COVID-19 virus, a health care provider uses a long swab to take a
sample from the nose or throat. The samples are then sent to a lab for testing. If you're
coughing up sputum, that may be sent for testing. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration
(FDA) has authorized at-home tests for the COVID-19 virus. 

To prevent the spread of COVID-19:

 Clean your hands often. Use soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand rub.
 Maintain a safe distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
 Wear a mask when physical distancing is not possible.
 Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
 Cover your nose and mouth with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or
sneeze.
 Stay home if you feel unwell.
 If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention
 While some western, traditional or home remedies may provide comfort and
alleviate
symptoms of mild COVID-19, there are no medicines that have been shown to
prevent or cure the disease. WHO does not recommend self-medication with any
medicines, including antibiotics, as a prevention or cure for COVID-19. However,
there are several ongoing clinical trials of both western and traditional medicines.
 WHO is coordinating efforts to develop vaccines and medicines to prevent and treat
COVID-19 and will continue to provide updated information as soon as research
results become available.

Conclusion

Many corona viruses come in this world but this virus is different it rapidly
spreading through the whole world. COVID19 has a very big impact in our lives now
adays. It is impossible to predict what the world will look like next week, let alone next
year. The pandemic COVID19 change the Life and Behavior of every person in this
world, we cannot observe that we change everyday that comes in our lives because
people adopt base on the environment. Many have financial crisis because they have
no work, People is aware about their health, virtual become Boom, the educational
platform change from face to face become virtual learning. Many people still adjusting
because they still not adopt the way of life in this pandemic. We need to continue living
never give up, the time comes that the pandemic will end and people back to their old
way of life. The pandemic is not a joke, be a good example to other because changes is
start in you.

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