A woman in Kolkata has been detected with human coronavirus or HKU1, a species of coronavirus. According to reports, HKU1 is usually a milder form of respiratory illness and does not have the potential to cause a pandemic, unlike COVID-19 which was a novel virus.
According to a health expert, HKU1 was first identified in 2005 and it evolved in humans.
Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant, internal medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi told The Indian Express that coronaviruses are of several kinds, and COVID-19 was a novel virus that caused the global pandemic, bringing the world to a halt. Unlike COVID, HKU1 is not a novel virus and most people come in contact with it at some point in their lives, which lasts for a limited period.
“So there is no need to panic over it," he said, adding that the virus affects the upper respiratory tract and causes symptoms that are similar to those of the common cold and flu.
The symptoms are somewhat similar to those of regular flu — cough, running nose, sore throat, blocked sinus, headache, fever, fatigue. In many cases, the infection may cause pneumonia or bronchitis.
According to the experts, the infection resolves on its own, however, the elderly, children, and those with co-morbidities need to be cautious of its severity.
The disease is transmitted just like any other coronavirus, which includes methods such as direct contact with the infected individual via coughing or sneezing, touching surfaces, and then retouching face, mout,h or nose.
