>
With the confirmation of of the first case of CoronaVirus in Nigeria (which also happens to be the first case in Sub-Saharan Africa) by Federal Ministry of Health, it has become more important than ever for everyone to take extra care and look out for common signs and symptoms including the following:
-Respiratory symptoms such as coughing
-sneezing
-Fever
-Shortness of breath
-Diarrhea
Coronaviruses (CoVid-19) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).
Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people.
The coronavirus, which emerged in central China late last year, has spread to about 57 countries, with about 84,000 people falling sick and killing nearly 3,000 — mostly in mainland China. But in recent weeks, the virus has spread across the globe with outbreaks in Iran, Japan, South Korea and Italy, especially in Milan.
To date, 26 African countries have reported suspected coronavirus cases, according to the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Only three countries on the continent; Algeria and Egypt in North Africa and now Nigeria in the sub-Saharan region, have announced confirmed cases.