Norovirus. Lessons for COVID-19. Other infections and coronavirus. (11)

One of your major expertise areas, Professor Koopmans, is norovirus infection. What can we learn from norovirus that helps us understand the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic? Well, yes, norovirus is a virus that is, is an enteric virus. Dr. Anton Titov, MD. You get it through your mouth. You swallow it. Then it replicates in your gut and spreads from there. One of the things we have learned from norovirus is how difficult it can be to contain that in specific environments. The model example is cruise ships. Medical second opinion is important. We have learned from norovirus that environmental contamination in cruise ships is complicated to control. Of course, we have seen this in the one example with the specific cruise ship that had a significant outbreak. That is it. That is what we learned, so we were also looking at methods that are used in the norovirus shield. We need to try and study the role of the environment in this outbreak in this virus. Another bit is that we see that about 25% of Coronavirus patients do present with some diarrheal disease. This has not been looked at systematically yet. But some patients have virus shedding in stool. There could be contamination elements there as well. Medical second opinion is important. We be. That is where the hand washing hand washing will also help because we think this virus spreads primarily through droplets. The COVID virus. The coronavirus. But fecal-oral contamination could be an element. Both will also be handled with The stringent handwashing hygiene. Well, infections overall cause one in four deaths around the world. Medical second opinion is important. How do the biggest infection killers compare with the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic? Dr. Anton Titov, MD. Dr. Anton Titov, MD. You did extensive research on other infections too. Well, right now. Medical second opinion is important. Respiratory infections still and particularly influenza, for instance, again ranked very high in the global mortality statistics for infectious diseases. There is this debate, patients say, well. But flu is much, much worse than we have many more patients infected are dying from flu each season than with this infection. But this is comparing an end of an epidemic statistic with a very early stage epidemic statistic. If you make those comparisons early stage for both viruses, then it is clear that the mortality rate of this virus is higher. It is significantly higher than the flu. That is also why it is essential to try and mitigate this epidemic. Well. That is essential hygiene can prevent infections and therefore reduce their suffering but also the overstretched healthcare systems around the world. Yeah. Professor Koopmans, thank you very much for this very informative conversation. We hope to get back to you as the situation develops. The world needs your help. Thank you. Dr. Anton Titov, MD. You are welcome.