Behaviour change will stop the spread of Coronavirus disease

Ask yourself, would you die for your community if you realised you have an infectious disease? Would you go in isolation and make sure nobody comes close to you? Or would you become malicious, call up all your enemies for a link-up, and infect them?

To prevent the spread of the fatal coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the first thing anyone has to do is self-isolation should there be suspicion of infection, but this is a habit we do not have, says Dr. Misaki Wayengera, a Clinical Geneticist, Immunologist, and Virologist.

He worries that most Africans do not have a sense of duty to protect another person. "People only have the responsibility to protect themselves which is unfortunate," he says.

The thought that I am sick, I will keep away from the other people does not exist," he adds.

Dr. Wayengera says when someone from the western world says "I have a cold, I'm not going to work" it is not because they can't go to work, it's because they are held to protect the lives of other people.

"I think we need to wake up to this reality as our society grows. It is important especially in terms of public emergencies that are driven by infectious diseases. It's our responsibility to protect the entire society," he says.

The Coronavirus

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the coronavirus which causing the coronavirus disease is a new strain that was discovered in 2019 and has not been previously identified in humans.

It was first confirmed in the Chinese city of Wuhan on January 7, 2020, and on March 11, 2020, WHO declared coronavirus disease a global public health pandemic.

"We have a million viruses in the world that the international system for classifying viruses puts in different groups or families.

The coronavirus which we call the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is part of the family of viruses that we call the orthoreovirus," explains Wayengera.

In this group, there are four types of viruses the alpha, beta, gamma, and delta. The coronaviruses are in the beta group of viruses "we call them coronaviruses because they look like the crown.

They are quite big viruses, they are not tinny viruses that's why we encourage the use of masks, it can prevent it from being spread," says Wayengera.

He says the coronaviruses are big, which explains why they are not airborne. "You must be near for someone to sneeze in your face to contract it. That's about a meter," he says.

 "When someone sneezes or coughs there are droplets that come out and get on the face, that way one gets infected," he adds.

Common flu and the Coronavirus

"In the early phases of the common flu and coronavirus disease, they are going to present the same symptoms," explains Wayengera.

They are flu-like illness, they include cough and running nose. "The only thing is that COVID-19 persists for a long time and ends up leading into fatal pneumonia," he says.

Wayengera explains there are several common human coronaviruses some of which cause flu.

Then there are rare coronaviruses within which there is SARS, and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) a viral respiratory illness.

"These have caused very severe known epidemic outbreaks that have threatened the world, and that is where the SARS-CoV-2 belongs which causes coronavirus disease," explains Wayengera.

Stealth transmission

According to Dr. Wayengera, coronaviruses are very resilient, they can stick on top of hard surfaces for close to nine days alive. This includes among many other tables, computers, laptops, telephone handsets, and door-handles.

"If you have a public door where everybody comes and uses, someone should be there constantly spraying that door with a disinfectant, because if an infected person uses that door, the virus will stay there for nine days.

Imagine how many people will get it. This is why this virus is overwhelming the world because its cycle of spreading is not being broken. The virus is very resilient," he says.

Fatality

Currently, COVID-19 is affecting 210 countries and territories around the world, according to worldometers.info.

Uganda has recorded 75 cases, 46 have recovered, there are 29 active cases, and no death.

Dr. Wayengera says in 100 infected people, only about three people die. "By the time one gets sick and dies, or heals which is most likely, it shows the virus is not fatal," he says.

He says most deaths are occurring in people that have underlying cardio-respiratory diseases, mostly the elderly.

"As one grows old the heart, lungs begin to give way, so one is more at risk of getting respiratory and cardiovascular failure because of having bad pneumonia," explains Wayengera.

"Uganda and Africa generally have a large number of young people, but the west has many old people. The elderly are very susceptible to the virus. Because of low immunity they can easily die, which explains the high number of deaths," he adds.

Treatment

Uganda is using hydroxychloroquine used in treating malaria and erythromycin an antibiotic used for the treatment of bacterial infections to manage symptoms in COVID-19 cases, disclosed the Director of Health Services at the Ministry of Health Henry Mwebesa in a tweet.

 In addition to the medicine, "The people who have healed have also done it naturally, aided by a strong immune system," says Wayengera.

Scientists are hopeful about the prospects of finding a COVID-19 vaccine. In the UK screening of healthy volunteers for a vaccine trial already commenced. But, currently, there is no known treatment or vaccines approved for treating COVID-19, says Wayengera.

Also, "even if there is no cure sometimes you need supportive care to heal," he explained.

Wayengera says the biggest challenge for developing countries like Uganda could come when infected persons get critically sick, and in need of respiratory support through a ventilator.

Uganda reportedly has only 12 Intensive Care Units (ICU) with 55 beds with ventilation equipment, which means Uganda cannot handle more than 55 critically ill patients at a time.

Other means to prevent infection

Humanity has its interesting ways when a problem is on the other side, there is this deception that it will not reach you, however, COVID-19 is with us, says Wayengera.

Much of the virus is spread from solid surfaces. One could come in contact with it anytime. Luckily it will not enter the body unless one touches their mouth, nose, or eyes before washing their hands.

To avoid contracting the virus, the Ministry of Health guidelines includes avoiding crowded places, social distancing (four metres), not shaking hands, and washing hands with soap.

Wayengera says people need to do is the normal things such as wash hands. This can be with ordinary soap, but preferably with liquid soap and frequently. Also, disinfect solid surfaces and avoid using handkerchiefs.

"If you have a cold, do not use a hankie, use disposable tissue, and discard it properly in a safe place to avoid spreading the virus. Also, self-isolate when you feel unwell," says Wayengera.

"We Africans are funny when one gets a cold, and they continue with business as if everything is okay, but this time around people need to learn to stay away. It is good. One of the things about the coronavirus disease is that it's waking people up to their responsibility to protect other human beings," he said.

Wayengera says when sick; one has the responsibility to protect other people not to contract the disease.

He also emphasized wearing masks in public. "It is important because you do not know who is infected. However, its best suited for people who are caring for the sick or the sick themselves to prevent transmission of the virus," says Wayengera.

Dispelling the myth around COVID-19

From claims that the virus does not affect people of African ancestry, or survive in warm temperatures, there have also been claims that alcohol prevents it.

But Wayengera says only in temperatures above 56 degrees Celsius (56°C) will the virus be destroyed. "Maybe one should go more to a sauna and breathe hot air," he advised.

"Also, we should stop the talk about being protected by high temperatures otherwise, we would not have cases," he adds.

Wayengera says when it comes to chemicals and other disinfectants that are medically approved, it should contain 60% alcohol and above. Anything that you can drink does not qualify," he explains.

Good work so far

Dr. Wayengera says the Ministry of health has been so careful and accurate in responding to the coronavirus disease threat.

 "Without causing fear they have prescribed the right thing to be done at a time," he says.

"The ministry of health work is extremely robust, other than being under-resourced the systems are extremely strong. You want to see that when there is an outbreak of disease," he adds.