We have reached a time when everyone is scared and the economy is hit hard by a viral infection that we refer to as COVID-19 or coronavirus. The coronavirus outbreak has paved the way for the new normal by observing social distancing and wearing masks all the time in public places.
However, there were many deadly viruses that occurred in the past prior to the devastation of COVID-19. Let’s review the history and discuss the five most dangerous viruses.
1. Ebola Virus
The Ebola virus was discovered in 1976 in a place known today as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The virus got its name from a river where it was first recognized, the Ebola River. The virus outbreak was reported in early 2014, where it struck in West Africa.
Sudden fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, rash, sore throat, and vomiting are some of the symptoms of the Ebola virus. It is a highly contagious disease and can be contracted through blood and other body fluids or tissues.
2. HIV
Known as the deadliest virus in human history, the human immunodeficiency virus, commonly known as HIV, has killed millions of humans since it began in the early 1980s.
People who acquired HIV died from the disease it causes, acquired immune deficiency syndrome or AIDS. HIV can be transmitted from one infected person to another through blood or other body fluids. Activities such as sex and unsafe injection practices are among the most common causes of transmission.
3. Influenza
We are currently facing a global pandemic due to the coronavirus, but we did not realize that there is a much more deadly virus present and it has been circulating for years. The influenza virus kills between 290,000 and 650,000 people each year.
However, influenza already has a vaccine that is given to people every year. Most people are now slowly forgetting how worse said virus is because the vaccine alleviates their symptoms, and COVID-19 would face the same fate when vaccines soon became available.
4. Smallpox
Before the World Health Assembly declared that smallpox was completely eliminated in 1980, millions of people were killed over thousands of years. This ailment causes one in three people who become infected with the virus. Those who survived the disease bear scars for life or worse, blindness.
We are now free of smallpox and since the vaccine was successfully distributed worldwide, no transmission of smallpox has been reported. But there are still small amounts of the smallpox virus that existed today and can be found in two research labs in Russia and Atlanta, Georgia.
5. Coronavirus
The most recent virus to materialize is the SARs-COV-2 virus, widely known as COVID-19, which started in late 2019 and is continuously infecting thousands of people around the world. COVID19 is a type of coronavirus that is spreading rapidly and infecting everyone in contact with it.
Causes respiratory failure resulting in death. Fever, sore throat, shortness of breath, and loss of taste are common, and the first symptoms will appear. The virus has an incubation period of 14 days, and symptoms usually appear within 5 to 6 days after infection.
The World Health Organization has already declared a global pandemic and began to impose closures, quarantines, use of masks and social distancing. This action is done to help contain the disease while waiting for the vaccine to be available to the public.
As of now, in addition to the protocols in place around the world, keeping your immune system healthy can help protect you from COVID-19. Taking vitamin C and zinc, along with a proper diet and exercise, will strengthen your immune system and help you avoid infection with the coronavirus.
There are so many vitamins and supplements available on the market that you can choose from. You can buy it at your local pharmacy or a legitimate online pharmacy if you cannot leave your home due to the pandemic. It would be useful if you have a discount card, you can present it at any pharmacy to save money when buying your vitamins.
By following the new normal and staying healthy and fit, you won’t have to worry about COVID-19. The vaccine will be out soon and this nightmare we find ourselves in today will be over. But while we wait, we must do whatever the government and health organizations advise us to help slow the spread of the virus.
Also, not because it feels more dangerous to go to the hospital, it means that we will self-medicate carelessly. We need to make sure we know when to take and how to dispose of medications to avoid additional health risks at home.
