What is a coronavirus? Coronaviruses are a family of viruses known to cause disease in humans. The infection can be similar to a common flu or present itself as a more serious disease, such as pneumonia. What is this new coronavirus? The new coronavirus, named 2019-nCoV, was identified for the first time in January 2020 in China, in the city of Wuhan. This new agent had never been previously identified in humans, causing an outbreak in Wuhan. The origin of the infection is yet unknown. How is it transmitted? The mode of transmission is still under investigation. Human to human transmission has been confirmed, but further details are still unknown. What are the signs and symptoms? People infected may present signs and symptoms of acute respiratory infection, such as fever, coughing and respiratory difficulty. In more serious cases, it may lead to severe pneumonia with acute respiratory insufficiency, kidney and other organs failure, and eventual death. What is the risk? The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) considers that, at the moment, there is a moderate probability of cases importation in the countries of the European Union / European Economic Area (EU / EEA). The probability of secondary transmission in EU / EEA is low, as long as the adequate practices of prevention and control are observed. Is there a vaccine? There is no vaccine. Since it is a new virus, research is underway towards developing it. Is there a treatment? The treatment of the infection by this new coronavirus is aimed at the signals and symptoms manifested. How can I protect myself? With no cases reported in Portugal, there is no indication of specific protection measures. In the areas affected, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends hygiene measures, respiratory etiquette and food safety practices, in order to reduce exposure and transmission of the disease: Avoid proximal contact with patients with respiratory infections; Wash hands frequently, especially after direct contact with sick persons; Avoid unprotected contact with wild or farm animals; Adopt measures of respiratory etiquette: cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing (with tissue paper or with the arm, never with the hands; throw used tissue in the trash); Wash hands whenever blowing the nose, sneezing or coughing. As traveller, what should I do? At the moment, the World Health Organization does not recommend restriction of travel and trade with China. If you have China as your destination, follow the recommendations of the health authorities of the country and WHO recommendations, referred in “How can I protect myself?”. For travellers returning from the affected areas and presenting symptoms suggestive of respiratory disease, during or after the trip, before resorting to a health service, they should call 808 24 24 24 (SNS24), informing about their health condition and history of travel, and then following the guidance provided.
