Coronavirus incubation period-two to 14 days

November 19, 2024

political Current Affairs

Coronavirus incubation period-two to 14 days ^Featured

January 31, 2020

The incubation period of coronavirus is from two to 14 days but the duration of transmission between human beings is unknown. Therefore there is a possibility that coronavirus infected individuals who arrive in Sri Lanka through the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake or any other entry point without symptoms can do so without being detected, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said.

Addressing a media seminar at the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) Auditorium, in Colombo yesterday, he said that the mortality rate is only 2.9 percent while it is 37 percent for MERS and 10 percent for SARS. Therefore, the coronavirus infection is less severe than SARS and MERS infections.

Consultant Physician attached to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama said that surgical masks should be worn all the time by coronavirus infected patients, suspected individuals and the masks should be changed once every eight hours. The other two groups that should wear surgical masks are those who visit patients and caregivers. Others do not need to wear surgical masks.

According to Dr. Wijewickrama, most of the coronavirus infected patients get mild symptoms and recover while only 20 percent of coronavirus infected patients develop complications on the 7th day and after. They need to be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) only on the 9th or 10th day. Therefore, the disease does not become serious soon after infection. Most of the Coronavirus infected patients seek medical treatment on the 7th day or after.

Consultant Virologist attached to the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital Dr. Saranga Sumathipala said the infection rate in coronavirus is higher than SARS and MERS. There are plans to scale up diagnostic capacity of laboratories in the country.