Coronaviruses are a group of related viruses that cause
diseases in mammals and birds. In humans,
coronaviruses cause respiratory tract infections that can
range from mild to lethal. Mild illnesses include some cases of the common cold (which
has other possible causes, predominantly rhinoviruses),
while more lethal varieties can cause SARS, MERS, and COVID-19. Symptoms in other species vary:
in chickens, they cause an upper respiratory tract disease,
while in cows and pigs they cause diarrhea.
There are yet to be vaccines or antiviral
drugs to prevent or treat human coronavirus infections.
Coronavirus: The challenges India faces in its battle against the virus
The western city of Mumbai has among the highest number of coronavirus patients in India.
With people in the city’s congested slums testing positive, it’s sparked fears that the infection could spread more rapidly.
As the number of cases continue to rise in the country, India’s healthcare system is already struggling and doctors are complaining of not being given proper equipment or training on how to treat patients.
Health workers in New Delhi are trying to track down at least 2,000 people who stayed at the headquarters of a Muslim group, after seven people died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's shutdown order caught many by surprise. Millions of migrant workers are struggling to return to their home villages.
And self-isolation is not an option for millions who live in cramped spaces with poor sanitation.
