Anupama Nair
“It was the best of the times; it was the worst of times,
It was the age of wisdom; it was the age of foolishness,
It was the season of light; it was the season of darkness,
It was the spring of hope; it was the winter of despair”
These are very prophetic words written more than a century ago, but never have they seemed true. Twenty-Twenty and Twenty-Twenty one was such years when a “mere” virus held the world in its grasp. Even in 2021 it still does not seem to free the world from its grasp. After the first phase and second phase killed millions, new viruses seem to be on the same track.
Is it a curse that from 1720, the world has been witnessing such killer pandemics every hundred years? The Great Plague (1720-1723), killed 100 thousand people worldwide. The Cholera Pandemic (1820-1824) killed millions in Asia. In 1920 after the First World War, the Spanish Flu killed nearly 17 million people. Come circa 2021, the Corona Virus has killed many millions and the list goes on and on.
Nostradamus the great French physician and astrologist, became quite famous in recent times with his prediction of Corona. He stated “There will be a twin year (2020) from which will arise a queen (corona) who will come from the east (China) and who will spread a plague (virus) in the darkness of night, on a country with 7 hills (Italy) and will transform the twilight of men into dust (death), to destroy and ruin the world. It will be the end of the world economy as you know it.”
This prediction was proved right. Nostradamus had predicted 2021, also as a year of suffering with draughts and floods. It seemed to come true, as many parts of the world was ravaged by floods, this year. Heat waves and draught killed many thousands in Europe and America. As far as Corona was concerned, the cases are increasing day by day.
Just when India has been seeing a steady decline in corona cases, and in the fear that the Third Wave can attack us any time, there is a new virus called Noro Virus reported in Kerala. It seems for the last two years we have been seeing attack of virus after virus. At least, 13 people have been tested positive in Wayanad district in Kerala. All positive cases were from a veterinary hospital in the district.
The highly infectious and contagious disease was reported in the state two weeks ago among the students who were living in hostels outside the college campus. The samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Alappey for testing. The Left Government has urged the people to be careful of the new virus causing diarrhea and vomiting.
Noro Virus is a group of viruses that leads to gastrointestinal illness. It causes inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines, in addition to severe vomiting and diarrhea. The virus can be transferred from an infected to a healthy person through contaminated surfaces or food. A person can be infected with different varieties of noroviruses several times in their lives, but the problem is developing immunity to one type doesn't provide protection against other varieties.
The outbreak can happen almost any time in a given year, however, much of the positive cases were registered between November to April. The virus can affect people across all age groups but is known to cause serious symptoms in children, the elderly and people with comorbidities.
The incubation period for Norovirus is 12 to 48 hours and the condition of the patient starts to get better within 1 to 3 days, provided that the treatment is provided on time. The symptoms of the highly contagious virus are as follows:
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Stomach ache
Gastrointestinal problems
Fever
Headache
Body ache
There is no specific treatment available to cure the virus, however, generic medications for diarrhea and vomiting can help cure the disease. Infected individuals are also advised to drink lot of water to help prevent dehydration.
Norovirus can be prevented by following the below-mentioned instructions:
- Maintain hand hygiene, i.e., washing hands with soap and warm water before consuming food and after using the loo. Avoid sanitizer as alcohol doesn't kill the virus.
- Disinfect your home with the help of a bleach-based home cleaner.
- Avoid cooking meals for 48 hours if you are ill.
- Use boiled water for drinking and cooking purposes.
- Use chlorinated water for domestic use.
- Thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables before consuming them.
- Sea fish and shellfish such as crab and mussels must only be consumed after they are well cooked.
Keep yourself healthy and safe.
