The recent virus wreaking havoc on the whole world, Covid-19 also worldwide known as coronavirus has affected every person in the world either directly or indirectly. It may be assumed that the coronavirus is the first pandemic that happened in the world in this century but it will be a wrong assumption.
Prior to this virus shaking up the world and turning everyone’s life upside down, people did suffer from other viral diseases in the 21st century. But after having coronavirus arrest all the attention since it eclipses past viral diseases, medical and nursing program students must be constantly bombarded with vast information of coronavirus.
Finding information on dangerous viral diseases causing a pandemic in this century, as medical and nursing assignment help might be resulting in extensive research. But all the information needed on the most dangerous viral diseases of this century is easily available in this article.
Reviewing the most alarming diseases of the 21st century, the most dangerous viral diseases have been summed up.
1. Ebola virus
The first case of the Ebola virus was reported in 1976. For the first time, it emerged from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan.
In 2013 major outbreak of the Ebola virus was experienced which lasted for 3 years, ending in 2016 and making 11,325 people its causality.
Transmission
The Ebola virus is contracted if close interaction occurs with a fruit bat (carrier of the Ebola virus). When human beings come in close contact with the blood, secretion, or organs of the virus-infected bat, they also pick up the disease.
Symptoms
Ebola virus destroys the immune system by killing and exploding cells inside the body. The death occurs due to internal bleeding and the damaging of major organs. No cure has been found for the Ebola virus till today.
2. (H1N1) Influenza
(H1N1) Influenza virus, commonly known as swine flu is another viral disease that plagued the world in 2009. It was declared the first global pandemic. With the death toll of 18,449, the pandemic of (H1N1) Influenza virus was contained in 2010.
Transmission
The virus got into human bodies by consumption of contaminated pig meat. After transmission, it can spread from one person to the other.
Symptoms
As the name influenza suggests it blocks the respiratory system making breathing difficult, then impossible, and finally causing death.
3. Rabies
Presently, the mention of rabies might not entice a severe reaction because it is assumed to be a contained viral disease. Due to the availability of vaccination, rabies is falsely eradicated as a great danger. Approximately 50,000–55,000 people worldwide are dying yearly from rabies and 90% of the affected population is based in Asia.
Transmission
Rabies virus spreads from the saliva of infected animals such as dogs, foxes, bats, skunks, raccoons, and coyotes. Dog bites are a major cause of transmission.
Symptoms
The symptoms of rabies begin from the feeling of pain and tingling at the wound site, and mild fever, slowly progressing as the virus travels towards the peripheral nervous system and central nervous system causing paralysis then coma and initially resulting in death.
4. Severe Acute Respiratory Disease
Severe Acute Respiratory Disease is a respiratory viral disease caused by SARS coronavirus. The first affected case was reported in China in 2007. Soon after its emergence, it was spread in 37 countries. As fast and widely this virus spread out in the world, it did not create much destruction. 8437 people were affected but only 774 were unfortunate enough to not survive it.
Transmission
The virus is found in bats and transmitted to civets, then it spreads from civets to humans because of civet consumption.
Symptoms
Severe Acute Respiratory Disease starts with showing common flu symptoms such as cough, fever, chills, and after 10 days it begins to close up oxygen airways leading to respiratory arrest.
5. Covid-19
Last but not the least, Covid-19 also known as coronavirus is the latest alarmingly dangerous viral disease. The world has been wrapped up in its toxic tentacles since the end of December 2019. After a month of its reign, it was declared the second global pandemic by WHO. Since the surfacing of coronavirus, 3.44 million people have lost the battle against it. Till today, 166 million people have been targeted by this virus.
Transmission
The Covid-19 virus spreads from an infected person to a healthy person through the mouth and nose. A virus is also transmitted if a person comes into contact with a contaminated surface. Social distancing and maintaining personal hygiene is necessary to prevent virus spread.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Covid-19 resemble symptoms of Severe Acute Respiratory Disease. For this reason, it is also known as SARS coronavirus 2. It also appears as common flu but leads to severe respiratory arrest in the span of 14 days. Damage of internal organs and lack of oxygen causes death.