Coronavirus COVID-19 in Tenerife

by | Feb 25, 2020

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Coronavirus in Tenerife

With the recent updates about the Coronavirus, unfortunately the virus has come to Tenerife. Recently an Italian doctor has been confirmed positive with the pathogen, and later this morning one of Tenerife South Hotels has been put in quarantine with almost 1000 people. This does not mean that there is a real risk of high mortality or spread in the islands with lethal effects. It is a contagious disease but with a very low mortality rate.

Here at Tenerife Whale Watching would like to help with important and relative information about the virus to avoid unnecessary panic. We call on the entire society to maintain sanity and objective vision on this issue, do not increase unnecessary and counterproductive fear. Waves of different strains of influenza travel the world every year, without creating great alarm.

Let’s not encourage uncontrolled fear and panic with this disease with our comments and actions. Biologists know that the flu is a much more deadly and dangerous virus than the coronavirus COVID-19, and this alarm is not created, it simply acts as with any other contagious disease of low mortality. WHO estimates the mortality rate of COVID-19 coronavirus between 2% and 4% in Wuhan and only 0.7% outside it. However, due to the flu in Spain in the 2017/2018 season, some 800,000 people were infected, of which about 52,000 were hospitalized, approximately 15,000 people died, without creating widespread panic.

What are the symptoms?

The World Health Organization notes the initial symptoms are as simple as fever and mild respiratory difficulties. The onset of the virus is still relatively unknown so it may have an asymptomatic period of anywhere from two to 14 days. The virus’s symptomatic similarity to the flu presents a significant problem for containing its spread, arriving in the middle of the Northern Hemisphere winter flu season.

What are the recommendations that we propose?

Please wash your hands

Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based gel or wash them with soap and water. Why? Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based gel kills viruses that may be on your hands.

Distance

Maintain at least 1 meter distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain viruses. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth

Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth and from there on, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.

Respiratory hygiene

Follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Dispose of the used tissue immediately. Why? Droplets can spread the virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu, and coronavirus.

Have fever, cough and difficulty breathing? Seek medical care early

If you are feeling unwell we recommend for you to stay home. If you have any of these symptoms like fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infections.

STAY HEALTHY WHILE TRAVELING

When to use a mask for Coronavirus

  • A mask should be worn if you are coughing or sneezing.
  • Effectiveness is only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based gel or soap and water.
  • Remember that if you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected coronavirus infection.

Know how to use, put on, take off and dispose of a mask

  • Before putting on a mask, clean hands with alcohol-based gel or soap and water.
  • Cover mouth and nose with mask. Make sure there are no gaps between the mask and your face.
  • Avoid touching the mask while using it; if you do, clean your hands with alcohol-based gel or soap and water.
  • Replace the mask with a new one as soon as it is damp.
  • Do not re-use single-use masks as they loose their effectiveness.
  • To remove the mask: remove it from behind (do not touch the front of mask); discard immediately in a closed bin;
  • After mask has been removed, clean hands with alcohol-based gel or soap and water.

For more information on the coronavirus you can go the Wolrd Health Organization website.