Page 6 - My FlipBook

from Europe to America and other countries, taking some 50 mil-
lion lives worldwide.
But neither the Spanish fl u nor the Black Death traveled with
the swiftness of COVID-19. The speed with which the disease
spread from China to other parts of Asia and on to Europe, North
America, and other continents can be attributed largely to the
availability of long-distance travel in the twenty-fi rst century. In
other words, a traveler infected with COVID-19, but not yet show-
ing symptoms, could board a plane in China and arrive in the
United States just hours later—perhaps infecting many people
onboard as well as in the airports and elsewhere. And those peo-

How Viral Infections Affect People

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a viral infection. In this case, the virus is
known as a coronavirus because when it is observed under a microscope, it
resembles an orb surrounded by a hazy crown. The Latin word for “crown”
is corona. The World Health Organization named the disease on February
11; COVID-19 stands for “corona virus disease of 2019.”
There are many different types of viruses and many different illnesses
that result from viral infections. The common cold is a mild form of a viral
infection, perhaps af icting a patient with a sore throat, cough, runny nose,
and slight fever for a few days. Or, as in COVID-19, a viral infection can
prompt severe symptoms that can be fatal.
A virus is a germ. When a virus enters the body, it attaches itself to
healthy cells, injecting its genetic material into those cells. That allows the
virus to duplicate itself in the body. It also damages the cells, which, in turn,
cause the patient to suffer symptoms such as headaches, fevers, and dif-
culty breathing. Many people have strong immune systems that help them
either experience no symptoms from a virus or endure the infection with
mild symptoms. Others, such as elderly people or those whose immune
systems have been compromised by prior illnesses, may experience se-
vere symptoms. Because of the harsh symptoms experienced by otherwise
healthy people, COVID-19 is among the deadliest diseases to have been
sparked by a virus in the history of human culture.