Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to dominate the news and cause disruptions to daily life all around the world. Although we're not health experts, we wanted to share some useful information to better understand the situation. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of September 22, 30,949,804 positive cases were confirmed worldwide, with cases in all 196 countries and territories. You can monitor the worldwide situation here.
Iraq has a high number of cases that continue to grow. It has the 17th highest number of patients affected by Coronavirus in the world and is the third worst-hit country in the Middle East region, after Iran and Saudi Arabia.
As of September 22, in Iraq,there were 319,035 confirmed cases with 8,555 deaths.
Watch the video to learn more about the virus.
How can I protect myself?
The video below illustrates some basic measures from the WHO to protect ourselves and others from getting the coronavirus.
You can find more information from here.
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.
This virus mainly causes respiratory issues. This can range from symptoms similar to a common cold – runny nose, cough, to fever and shortness of breath. Some people can develop pneumonia and some people can develop severe difficulties with breathing, multi-organ failure and even death. Most people with the virus develop only mild symptom and some people don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell.
Who can be infected?
People of all ages can be infected, including children, adults, pregnant women and older people. Older people and those with pre-existing medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness and are at a higher risk of dying.
What should I do if I don't feel well?
Unless it is an emergency, stay home if you feel sick, even if your symptoms are mild. This will reduce your chances of spreading or catching the virus. Don’t go to work, school or public places, and don’t use public transport.
If your symptoms are severe, you have trouble breathing or you feel like you need medical advice, seek medical assistance. If possible, call the medical clinic before you go and describe your symptoms over the phone to a doctor or nurse, so they are prepared for your arrival and can try to limit transmission to others.
If you are in Iraq or the Kurdistan Region and you need emergency assistance related to coronavirus call 122. Note this article should not be taken as medical advice from trained medical practitioners, if you need medical assistance please contact a doctor.