Posted on December 4, 2021 by Kenan
4 contagious diseases one should be aware of
The year 2019 opened our eyes in more than one way. The year that followed was filled with even more challenges and in a way left us with a life-changing experience. It would not be an exaggeration if I say it was the hardest year but one we should all be grateful for because it taught people the importance of hygiene and precautionary measures even if took a pandemic to do so.
With the world population stuck inside their home to slow down the transfer of the virus, the awareness about numerous contagious diseases has also increased. Which can help increase our overall hygiene and disease contract rates. While we have learned a lot during the last year, we have still a long way to go.
The path begins by educating ourselves on different contagious diseases that are very common so that we are ready to protect ourselves and our families and also prepared for them in the future. In this particular article, we are focused on creating awareness about contagious diseases that are very common and easily transmitted.
Ebola and Bird Flu are also contagious however it is very unlikely that you will contact them ever in your life however other diseases like coronavirus and influenza have a very high chance so here we will discuss and will discuss four such diseases that one must be aware of.
The world is battling the covid-19 pandemic at the moment, so how could we ignore this historical disease in our article. Who doesn’t know about the novel coronavirus, however many are unaware of its history and other characteristics. The SARS-CoV-2 started it all at the end of 2019 in Wuhan, China, and by the time of March 2020 the virus had affected people in more than 175 countries. Scientists track its origin in the bats like the other SARS-like MERS. For better or worse, the covid-19 pandemic had changed the world.
The virus infected 120,904,686 people worldwide and cause overall 2,674,715 covid-19 related deaths. With a 97% recovery rate, this marked one of the most catastrophic eras of the 21st century. The precautions were pretty simple and easy, all one needs is to social distance, reduce outdoor activities, wear masks, and take care of their hygiene like washing hands, etc.
However, the world failed to fulfill even these simple requirements. The virus has proven to be life-threatening especially to those with other complications like old age or chronic diseases. Fever, dry cough, and tiredness are some of the most common symptoms among others like shortness of breath, diarrhea, sore throat, and loss of taste and smell, etc. There are vaccines with a high level of effectiveness made by various countries that are the main tool to fight this pandemic.
2- Tuberculosis (TB):
Tuberculosis, in other words, TB is one of the most common diseases in the world especially in developing countries, and is also highly contagious. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a special bacteria that causes TB by attacking the lungs of a person, in some cases, it also attacks the kidney, brain, spine, or any other part of the body. It spreads through the air, when a person with TB coughs, sneezes, or even speaks, the air particles that are laced with the bacteria can infect the person around them.
Just breathing the contaminated air can transfer the infection. If you think you were exposed, you must get tested. The treatment for TB is a long and painful process and can take up to 6-12 months. However, precaution is the best defense so you should be careful around those diagnosed with TB and if you doubt you have it then you should immediately visit a doctor.
3- Norovirus (“Stomach Flu”):
Norovirus is also called food poisoning, which is its popular name. it is a type of inflammation of the gut in which symptoms are diarrhea, constant nausea or vomiting, and extreme stomach pain. It is highly contagious as it spreads very easily, you can catch it by being in direct contact with a patient, or eating/drinking contaminated food, or touching a surface that is contaminated. Washing your hands and food thoroughly can go a long way in protecting you from food poisoning. Another common cause is improperly cooked food, i.e raw meat, etc.
We have all had influenza once in our life, its symptoms include fever, sore throat chills, coughings, fatigue, runny nose, and body pain among others. Influenza also called the flu mostly resolves on its own in most humans but in many, it can have severe results and could lead to death too. According to CDC, the flu is responsible for 12,000 to 61,000 annual death since the year 2010. The virus spreads through water droplets released in the air when the infected coughs or sneezes. Yearly flu shots are a great way to protect yourself and your family from this contagious disease among other precautionary measures and taking care of hygiene.Like