7 Types of Viruses that Disturb the World, from Monkeypox to Corona Covid-19

Kapanlagi.com - Diseases caused by viruses are a frightening specter for everyone. In fact, deaths caused by virus infections contribute to a significant number, up to millions of lives every year.

Most recently, the world has been disturbed by the emergence of the corona covid-19 virus. This virus has been declared by the WHO as a pandemic or an epidemic that has spread to several countries or continents. The term is used for a sudden increase in the number of cases in a region. That means the virus can threaten human safety if not addressed more quickly.

So, what is a virus? A virus is a microscopic organism (super small) that is spread throughout the world and tends to be parasitic. Viruses can infect living creatures ranging from humans, animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria. Despite being super small, viruses can have a significant impact due to their spread.

Until now, several viruses that have disturbed the world have not found proper treatment. According to several sources, Kapanlagi.com has summarized the types of viruses that have ever disturbed the world:

1. Monkeypox

This disease is a rare disease caused by a virus and transmitted to humans through animals such as rats, squirrels, and monkeys. Initially, monkeypox disease has symptoms similar to chickenpox, namely watery spots. As the disease progresses, the watery spots turn into pus-filled and cause lumps in the neck, armpits, or groin due to swollen lymph nodes.

Monkeypox, or commonly known as 'monkeypox', was first reported in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Then, on May 9, 2019, this monkeypox virus was reported to have spread to Singapore.

2. Ebola

Ebola is known as a deadly disease. Ebola is a disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans or from one human to another through contact with body fluids such as blood.

This disease was first discovered in Africa in 1976. The symptoms caused by Ebola are fever, headache, muscle pain, and chills. Then, patients can experience internal bleeding that results in vomiting or coughing up blood. This virus even has a death rate of up to 90 percent with a rapid spread rate.

In some severe cases, patients often experience bleeding from almost all openings in their bodies. Therefore, prevention measures such as not visiting African countries during an Ebola outbreak are necessary.

3. Bird Flu

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The H5N1 bird flu virus is a virus that can cause severe respiratory illness in birds and can be transmitted to humans. This type of flu most commonly occurs through contact with sick birds. It can also be transmitted between humans.

Bird flu has a mortality rate of 50 percent if contracted by humans. Previously, Indonesia was recorded to have been exposed to the bird flu virus in 2006. The outbreak spread to 8 people, 7 of whom died.

4. Swine Flu

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Next is swine flu. Swine flu is caused by the H1N1 virus strain, which originates in pigs. Swine flu has symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, chills, and body aches.

The swine flu virus first appeared in North America in 2009. The WHO has also declared this virus a global pandemic. The virus is transmitted through sneezing or coughing. Therefore, if a person is exposed to nasal mucus or saliva from an infected person, they will be exposed to this virus.

5. Rabies

Rabies is one of the deadly viruses transmitted from animals to humans through the saliva of infected animals. In fact, individuals exposed to this virus have a 100 percent mortality rate if not vaccinated.

Rabies can be caused by animal bites. Animals most likely to spread rabies include dogs, bats, wild dogs, foxes, and cats. Symptoms of rabies include fever, headache, excessive saliva, muscle spasms, paralysis, and mental confusion.

6. Corona Covid-19

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The next virus that is causing concern worldwide is the corona covid-19 virus, which was first discovered in Wuhan, China. The corona virus is caused by a group of viruses that infect the respiratory system. According to the official website of the World Health Organization (WHO), the corona virus is a zoonotic disease, meaning it is transmitted between animals and humans. Therefore, the corona virus can also be transmitted from human to human through droplets of water when sneezing or coughing.

The corona virus can affect anyone, especially those with weakened immune systems. In addition, individuals visiting areas at high risk of corona virus are at a higher risk of being infected with this virus. Until now, experts are trying to find a vaccine or treatment for the corona virus that is currently affecting the world.

7. MERS

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Similar to the coronavirus, MERS virus is a respiratory disease caused by the MERS-CoV coronavirus. Additionally, MERS is a contagious respiratory disease that can cause fatalities. This disease often spreads through close contact with infected individuals.

Symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath, as well as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. This disease was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. MERS has a death rate of approximately 35 percent.

Those are the seven viruses that have caused concern worldwide. Hopefully, this will increase your knowledge and awareness to remain vigilant and take preventive measures.

(kpl/dtm/gen)