Every day, Le Parisien takes action to answer your questions about the coronavirus. This time, we are looking at the following question from a Parisian surfer: “What is the difference between the Covid-19 and the SARS-CoV-2? "
Since the start of the pandemic, there has been confusion between the terms coronavirus, covid-19 and SARS-CoV-2.
- The coronavirus is a family of viruses responsible for various diseases: from the common cold to SARS (Severe acute respiratory syndrome) which killed 774 people in 2002-2003, or to MERS, which has been raging in the Middle East since 2012 and caused 858 deaths.
- SARS-CoV-2 is the scientific name given to the new coronavirus which has already infected more than 300,000 people and has killed more than 13,000 people worldwide, since its appearance in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.
- Covid-19 is the infectious respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Its main symptoms are headache, muscle pain, and fatigue. "Fever and respiratory signs come secondarily, often two or three days after the first symptoms," says the Institut Pasteur on its page dedicated to the virus. "The duration of the incubation is on average 5 to 6 days, with extremes of 2 to 12 days, which justifies the quarantine period of 14 days", finally reports the Institute.
Tracks of treatment with chloroquine
Although there is currently no treatment for Covid-19, vaccines are under study and could be used in 2021. On the other hand, several drugs are in clinical trials around the world. Professor Didier Raoult, director of the Institut hospitalo-universitaire (IHU) Méditerranée Infection de Marseille, says he has successfully treated patients with coronavirus using chloroquine, an anti-malaria drug. Its conclusions come from clinical trials conducted on 24 patients contaminated with Covid-19.
Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as treatment for COVID-19. # Coronavirus # COVID2019 https://t.co/ZRSjjjHkJR
- IHU Méditerranée Infection (@IHU_Marseille) March 18, 2020“We were able to compare the negativation of viral carriage in patients who followed the protocol, with patients from Avignon and Nice who did not receive the treatment. After six days there are 90% who are carriers of the virus, while when you put Plaquenil (commercial version of hydroxychloroquine) there are only 25% who are carriers ”, explained the professor during a conference filmed at the IHU Méditerranée Infection in Marseille.
Many experts, however, called for caution regarding the possible conclusions on the effectiveness of the treatment, given that there is not yet a large clinical study to legitimize its use. "The ministry wanted to extend these clinical trials, which will be duplicated on a larger number of patients," said government spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye after the Council of Ministers.
You can ask us all your questions about the coronavirus by filling out our form or directly by email at coronavirus@leparisien.fr. Find all the answers previously published on our dedicated page.
