Along with the new decade came a new strain of the coronavirus that has sparked fear and worldwide panic. Originating in Wuhan, China, Coronavirus now has confirmed cases in 81 other countries, with 80 confirmed cases in the United States. As of March 4th, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 13 states including Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin have cases of Coronavirus. Currently, 9 people have died due to the virus. 

Coronaviruses were initially discovered by scientists around the 1960s. It earned its name from the crown shaped protrusions that cover its surface. There are seven strains of Coronavirus that affect humans, including:

• 229E (alpha coronavirus)
• NL63 (alpha coronavirus)
• OC43 (beta coronavirus)
• HKU1 (beta coronavirus)
• MERS-CoV (beta coronavirus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome MERS)
• SARS-CoV (beta coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome SARS)
• SARS-CoV-2 (novel coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019, aka: COVID-19)

Every year, people around the world are affected  by coronavirus 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1. In fact, these strains have affected almost every person during some point in their lifetime. The 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1 strains of coronavirus generally cause symptoms such as runny nose, headache, fever, sore throat, cough, and a general unwell feeling. More serious cases have also been known to develop into pneumonia or bronchitis. 

Animals such as cattle, camels, and bats are also susceptible to certain strains, and can even pass these strains to humans. In the past, this has occurred with SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. It is believed that this may also be the case for COVID-19. Research has suggested that the virus originated from bats, was spread to humans at a live animal market, and then continued to spread from person to person. The virus spreads through community spread, which means it tends to affect people in the same area. 

Beyond the fact that COVID-19 affects people in the same area, it is known for sure how the virus spreads. However, other types of common human coronaviruses can be transmitted by air that has been infected with coughing or sneezing, close personal contact or touching, and touching an infected surface and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. 

Based on this, scientists believe the virus is spread through close contact and through respiratory droplets that contain the virus. They also believe that the virus is the most contagious when a person is actively experiencing symptoms, although it is possible to spread the virus without symptoms. The virus may also spread from touching infected surfaces and then your mouth, nose, or eyes. 

The CDC has noted that there is a high potential threat for both the United States and other countries. Currently, however, the virus is not considered to be rapidly spreading through the United States and the majority of the population will not be immediately exposed. Nevertheless, the virus will likely reach the level of global pandemic and the risk to the United States may change at any time.

As a precaution, the CDC recommends taking the following steps:

• get a flu shot
• cover your cough or sneeze
• wash your hands often, especially before facial contact
• stay home when you are sick
• avoid close contact with others
• clean surfaces

To stay up to date on the latest news regarding COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. They post regular updates about cases of COVID-19 in the United States Monday through Friday. 

Did you know that cardiovascular disease kills more women than all types of cancers combined? In fact, cardiovascular disease has been deemed the #1 cause of death in women. Unfortunately, however, many people are unaware of how serious this problem is. For this reason, the American Heart Association (AHA) has established February 7th as Wear Red for Women day as part of their Go Red for Women campaign. 

Wear red day is intended to raise awareness about how heart disease affects women, as well as to advocate for more research and care focused on the correlation between the two. Because women experience heart disease differently than men, there needs to be more patient education, research, and specialized care in order to reduce the mortality rate. In fact, the American Heart Association notes that almost 80% of cardiac events can be prevented, showing that spreading awareness can help to reduce the prevalence of severe cardiac events in women. 

Not only that, but the Go Red for Women campaign also highlights the scarcity of research focused on how heart disease is exhibited in women. This is because they found that less than half of any trial participants are women and that many studies do not pay attention to the biological differences between the sexes. Therefore, much of what we have been told about heart disease is actually centered around how it is exhibited in men. 

However, there is definitely some overlap in the way that men and women experience heart disease. For example, a couple of common symptoms that occur in both men and women can include chest pain and shortness of breath. Additionally, however, women may also show signs that may not immediately be connected to heart disease, such as: 

• Nausea or vomiting
• Fatigue
• Lightheadedness
• Sweating
• Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen, or back

In most cases, women with heart disease tend to experience symptoms while resting, but there are cases where symptoms may be brought on by emotional stress.  Additionally, symptoms can affect women differently and not every symptom must be present to indicate the presence of heart disease. Any of these symptoms suggest that a visit to your local cardiologist is needed to determine whether or not they are caused by heart disease. 

It is important to visit your cardiologist if you are at an increased risk of developing heart disease, especially if you are experiencing early symptoms. Some things that can indicate an increased risk for cardiovascular disease include: 

• Menopause
• Pregnancy complications
• Family history of heart disease
• Depression 
• Unhealthy diet and/or stationary lifestyle
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Excessive alcohol intake
• Diabetes

While women with these conditions may be at an elevated risk of developing cardiovascular disease, all women are potentially at risk. Therefore it is necessary to attend yearly physicals to monitor your blood pressure, as well as blood sugar and cholesterol levels. 

Overall, heart disease in women poses a serious potential threat to women everywhere, especially being the #1 cause of death in women. However, about 80% of cardiac events can be prevented, meaning that there is definitely hope for the future. In order to educate more women and advocate for women-centered heart disease research, the AHA urges people to wear red on February 7th.