People with diabetes need to be extra careful during this tough hour and should adhere to all instructions given by their doctors. Because uncontrolled diabetes itself can be fatal and with the current devastating scenario of Coronavirus, it becomes even more important for a diabetic patient to take all the preventive measures. Diabetes patients are believed to be at added risk for getting COVID 19 infection.

Majority of health experts working on COVID 19 patients term diabetes to be a high-risk condition for the COVID 19 infection, mainly due to a raised rate of case-fatality (CFR) among diabetes patients, who get COVID 19. As per evidence, the overall CFR of COVID 19 is 2.3% while the CFR for patients having pre-existing diabetes gets raised to 7.3%. Also, the scenario gets further elevated in the case of elderly patients, with patients aged >80 years reporting a CFR of 14.0%. In general parlance, patients with diabetes, especially with uncontrolled or poorly controlled blood sugar levels are more prone to getting infected with any sort of infections including COVID 19, possibly due to the reduced immunity levels as a result of high blood sugar levels.

Following precautions are advised for Diabetic patients to prevent COVID 19:

1. Maintain the recommended glucose control by strictly adhering to diet, activity and medication regimens.
2. Frequently monitor your blood sugar levels to rapidly identify any spikes in glucose levels and getting appropriate treatment adjustments.
3. Get enough supplies related to your diabetes testing and medications, in case of an outbreak, for at least 15 days.
4. Practice frequent handwashing with soap and water.
5. Practice good respiratory hygiene by covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or bent elbow, in case of coughing or sneezing.
6. Avoid touching your face, nose, and eyes.
7. Avoid unwanted travel and contact with unknown persons.
8. Stay vaccinated for each available infectious disease.
9. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
10. Consume yogurt and probiotics for a healthy digestive system.
11. Sleep for at least 8-9 hours to reduce stress and maintenance of immunity levels.
12. Avoid crowd exposure.
13. Avoid handshaking.
14. Immediately contact your doctor if you develop any respiratory symptoms such as cold, cough, difficulty in breathing or fever.
15. Last but not the least, stay hydrated.

With more than 5 lacs infected cases and nearly 20 thousand deaths till now, COVID-19 famously known as Novel Coronavirus has put the entire world to a standstill. Though there are conspiracies and theories around the origin of the coronavirus, we will help you debunk some rumors and give you real insights on the origin, symptoms, and causes of Novel Coronavirus.

A coronavirus is a virus group, belonging to betacoronavirus family responsible for causing a range of respiratory diseases, from common cold, influenza to more severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). Recently, a new addition to this family has been found out which is responsible for the global outbreak of a potentially fatal disease, COVID 19. The virus is named as SARS-CoV-2 or the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, while the resulting disease is referred to as COVID 19 or coronavirus disease 2019. The COVID 19 was declared a global pandemic in March 2019 owing to its rapid spread in over 250 countries, globally.

Signs and symptoms of COVID 19 may emerge in 2 to 14 days in the patient after getting exposed to the virus. They can range from very mild to fatal and may include:

• Fever
• Coughing
• Difficulty in breathing, called dyspnoea
• Fatigue or Tiredness
• Body or Joint Pain
• Constantly running nose
• Sore Throat
• Diarrhea and vomiting have also been reported in a minor group of patients
• Some patients even remain asymptomatic

Elderly patients, patients with impaired immunity such as HIV/AIDS or those suffering from co-morbid conditions such as diabetes, heart or lung diseases are at elevated risk of fatal outcomes from COVID 19.

Causes of COVID 19

COVID 19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus as it spreads to persons in close contact with an already infected patient through the respiratory droplets, by coughing or sneezing. It can also spread by touching the surface containing the virus and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes with the same part.

The fast spread of the coronavirus has surely prompted the global alarm. From closing borders, global airlines suspending flights to some governments even barring entry to foreign nationals, the outbreak has created serious fear in the minds of the common man. Everyone irrespective of height, weight, body shape has fallen prey to the deadly disease across the globe.  Doctors are constantly asking individuals with low immunity to be safe and take necessary precautions. When it comes to patients with heart history, they have been asked to take extra care during this time. We all know that patients suffering from heart diseases are especially vulnerable to respiratory tract infections, including COVID 19.

However, the extent of damage in heart patients is currently uncertain. As per evidence, patients with known cardiovascular disease (CVD) have a CFR of 10.5% in case of a COVID 19 infection. Also, evidence suggests that 16.7% of COVID 19 patients, having CVD, develop abnormal heartbeat while 7.2% of patients get acute cardiac damage. Cases of acute-onset heart failure, heart attack, and other fatal cardiac symptoms have also been reported in COVID 19 patients with CVD. Heart complications in COVID 19 patients are comparable with SARS and MERS patients.