MONDAY HEALTH BURST- Covid 19

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MONDAY HEALTH BURST – COVID19
According to the WHO,coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as severe acute
respiratory syndrome(SARS)and the Middle East respiratory syndrome(MERS).
These viruses were originally transmitted from animals to people. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.
Covid-19 is an infectious disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus Sars-cov-2 which was not previously identified in humans.

MODE OF TRANSMISSION
COVID19 can be transmitted via respiratory droplets from an infected individual
during sneezing,coughing or blowing of the nose. The virus can also stay on surfaces of objects when it comes in contact with them for a period of time.

SYMPTOMS
According to the WHO,signs of infection include fever, cough,shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.
In more severe cases,it can lead to pneumonia,multiple organ failure and even death.
The most common symptoms of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are fever, tiredness,and dry cough.
Most people(about 80%)recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Older people,and people with other medical conditions(such as asthma,
diabetes,or heart disease), may be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill.

INCUBATION PERIOD
The incubation period ranges from 1-14days. Most infected people show
symptoms within 5-6days.

PREVENTION
To help stop the spread of coronavirus, practice handwashing with soap and water regularly for 20 seconds, sanitize your hands, door handles etc, with alcohol-based hand sanitizer, cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or flexed elbow when you cough or sneeze, avoid touching your face, maintain social distance (1 meter or 3 feet) and stay at home and self-isolate from others in the household if you feel unwell.
There is currently no treatment or vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease(COVID-19).
People may need supportive care to help them breathe.

SELF CARE
If you have mild symptoms, stay at home until fully recovered. You can relieve the symptoms if you rest and sleep, keep warm, drink plenty of liquids, use a
room humidifier or take a hot shower to help ease a sore throat and cough.

MEDICAL TREATMENTS
If you develop a fever, cough and have difficulty breathing, promptly seek medical care. Call in advance and tell your health provider of any recent travel or recent contact with travelers.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, Covid-19 is a deadly infection which spreads very fast. There is no current vaccine or drug for the cure of this disease, hence taking preventive
measures will help limit the spread, morbidity and
mortality.

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Speak Wednesday – Women Entrepreneurs

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Speak Wednesday – Women Entrepreneurs

In recent years, most women venture into small scale enterprises, especially in developing Countries. This is mostly among uneducated women, who dropped out of school due to marriage, lack of sponsors or religious believes.

More women than men are involved in small scale enterprises because it has been the only way they can support their families and make ends meet, since women do not have the same access as men to finance, assets, technology or better services. They often have relatively lower levels of education, vocational training, and have to juggle the management of their businesses with domestic responsibilities.

Some of the major reasons women entrepreneurs experience difficulties in growing their businesses, is because the daily gains are spent on family expenses, rather than growing the business. Also, women cannot own or inherit landed properties in many agricultural societies, hence the inability to work independently and the right to associate in cooperatives and credit unions.

Women are better managers and history has shown how prudent they could be with funds. A little push and adequate monitoring can make women better entrepreneurs.

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MONDAY HEALTH BURST- Tuberculosis

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TUBERCULOSIS (TB)

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases responsible for millions of deaths annually across the world. One in three persons across the world representing 2–3 billion individuals are known to be infected with Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (M. Tuberculosis) of which 5–15% are likely to develop active TB disease during their lifetime.

TB is an airborne bacterial infection caused by M. Tuberculosis which affects any part of the body and most commonly the lungs. It is exposed to the air as droplet nuclei from coughing, sneezing, shouting or singing of individuals with pulmonary or laryngeal TB. While TB is present in every country majority of TB sufferers live in low income and middle income countries especially in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia.

The transmission of tuberculosis occurs through inhalation of droplet nuclei which passes through the mouth or nasal cavities, the upper respiratory tract, bronchi and finally reaches the alveoli of the lungs.

According to World Health Organization, People ill with COVID-19 and TB show similar symptoms such as cough, fever and difficulty breathing. Both diseases attack primarily the lungs and although both biological agents transmit mainly through close contact, the incubation period from exposure to disease in TB is longer, often with a slow onset.

Other symptoms of TB include; coughing up blood, chest pain, loss of appetite, unexpected weight loss, night sweats, etc. In the case of extra-pulmonary TB presenting symptoms will often be dictated by the part of the body affected, although, some symptoms such as loss of appetite, night sweat and fever may be more general.

Common tests used in the diagnosis of tuberculosis include mantoux test, AFB and sputum gene expert, and the first line drugs used in the treatment of TB are; Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Pyrazinamide and Ethambutol.

Early diagnosis and treatment is essential in mitigating the rate of morbidity and mortality from the disease.

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