COVID-19 update Feb 24: Coronavirus seems more deadly for men than women, international cases spike and more

The coronavirus continues to ravage its way through China. Alarmingly, last week saw a bump in international cases; South Korea, Italy, Japan and Iran are countries of particular concern at this time. Almost 80,000 people have been infected globally, with 2,619 deaths. Outside mainland China, 27 people have lost their lives. While the rate of infections seems to have dropped slightly in China, the rising number of deaths remains a point of serious concern. The Chinese premier, Xi Jinping, acknowledged that the virus was a major concern for the country and had exposed shortcomings in the country’s administration and public health response.   [caption id=“attachment_8026911” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Image source: Getty Images.[/caption] India has remained stable at 3 confirmed cases; all of the patients have been discharged after being declared virus-free. However, experts speculate with a high degree of confidence that several cases will fly under the radar since the infection could cause mild symptoms as well and the health infrastructure of developing countries is not robust enough to detect all of those cases. The Indian government has advised against any non-essential travel to Singapore.     WHO officials have warned several African leaders of the potential of the disease reaching the continent after Egypt confirmed a case last week. The US has also seen a rise in cases with total infections reaching 35.   A new study has shown that the virus can survive longer on surfaces than the common cold virus. Also, the virus seems to be worse for men than women as well.

How long can the virus survive on a surface?

As infections spread, people are concerned about how long the virus can live on glass, plastic or metal. A study published this month says that while a conclusive answer for this particular strain remains elusive, the SARS and MERS virus can live up to 9 days on these surfaces. Since COVID-19 is closely related to these, similar longevity can be assumed.   This underlines the need to wash your hands after travelling in public transport or if you’re around someone who is sick. The virus can be transmitted by unwashed hands when eating or rubbing the nose or mouth as well.   It should be noted that at temperatures exceeding 30℃, the virus does not last as long. Further, household disinfectants are also sufficient for killing the virus.

Why are men more susceptible?

Last week, The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention released the most comprehensive report on the virus so far. According to the study, the mortality rate amongst men is 2.8% whereas the same for women is 1.7%. Why the discrepancy? In past viral outbreaks, such as SARS and MERS, a similar difference was noted. It turns out that women have a stronger immune response when it comes to viral infections. Estrogen might play a role given that it is involved with immune responses. Studies in mice have shown that male mice exposed to SARS were more likely to get infected, be more severely affected by the virus and were more likely to die when compared with female mice. When the estrogen levels of the female mice were lowered, these differences diminished.   Lifestyle differences also explain a part of it. At least in China, men are far more likely to smoke and have type-2 diabetes and high blood pressure. All these factors make the body more vulnerable in its ability to fight the infection. Men may also be more reluctant to seek healthcare than women, and cases that are diagnosed earlier have a better prognosis.

Glimpses from around the world

South Korea has seen a surge in virulence with over 750 infections and six deaths so far. The President, Moon Jae-in has ordered the highest level of national alert to focus more resources in containing the outbreak. This will give the government power to lock down cities and ban large gatherings in public places.   The cases are mostly concentrated in the southeastern city of Daegu and have been tracked to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which is a secretive religious sect in the city. Most people that are infected are members of the church or close relatives and friends.   The spike in South Korea mirrors a sudden rise in cases in Italy and Iran, with experts fearing that the window to limit the epidemic turning into a pandemic is passing.   Italy went from three confirmed cases on Thursday to 152 on Sunday with at least three deaths. This signals the virus’ entry into western Europe and will test the open borders policy of the continent as efforts will be made to contain the virus. Similarly to South Korea, Italy has placed a lockdown in various cities in the northern Lombardy region. Schools, museums and other public places have been closed. Several soccer matches have been cancelled and a major event, the Venice carnival, has ended earlier than planned. Police are monitoring city limits and asking people to limit travel into and out of the area.     In Iran, 43 cases have been reported including eight deaths. Turkey and Pakistan have closed their borders with the country. In an effort to clamp down on infections, Iran has also placed lockdown measures - schools and public places have been closed as health officials are reportedly on a disinfecting drive.   For more information, read our article on   Coronavirus_._ Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.