Which of the following was rated by many experts to be the fastest growing virus on the internet?

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Volume 80, Issue 5, August 2014, Pages 973-993

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Emerging technology trends

Cyber attacks and countermeasures

The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has taken a drastic human toll, and the economic and social impacts of the pandemic are reverberating globally. Through a combination of new projects, restructuring and emergency components of existing projects, and deployment of our disaster finance instruments, the World Bank Group’s response is targeted in four key areas. Learn More

All viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, change over time. Most changes have little to no impact on the virus’ properties. However,some changesmay affect the virus’s properties, such ashow easilyitspreads,the associateddiseaseseverity, or the performance of vaccines, therapeutic medicines, diagnostic tools, or other public health and social measures.

WHO, in collaboration withpartners,expert networks,national authorities, institutions and researchershave beenmonitoring and assessingthe evolution of SARS-CoV-2since January2020.Duringlate2020, the emergence of variants that posedan increased risktoglobal public health promptedthe characterisation of specific Variants of Interest (VOIs) and Variants of Concern (VOCs),in order toprioritise global monitoring andresearch, and ultimately to inform the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

WHO and its international networksof experts are monitoring changes to the virus so that if significantamino acidsubstitutions are identified, we can inform countries and the public about any changes that may beneeded torespondto the variant, and prevent its spread. Globally, systems have beenestablishedand are being strengthenedtodetect “signals” of potential VOIsor VOCs and assess these based on the risk posed to global public health.National authorities may choose to designate other variants of local interest/concern.

Reducingtransmission through established and proven disease controlmethods/measures, as well as avoiding introductions into animal populations, are crucial aspects of the global strategy to reduce the occurrence of mutations that have negative public health implications.

Current strategies and measures recommended by WHO continue to work against virus variants identified since the start of the pandemic.Evidence from multiple countries with extensive transmission of VOCs has indicated that public health and social measures(PHSM), including infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, have been effective in reducing COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths.National and local authorities are encouraged to continue strengthening existingPHSMandIPCmeasures. Authorities are also encouraged tostrengthen surveillance and sequencing capacities and apply a systematic approach to provide a representative indication of the extent of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 variants based on the local context, and to detect unusual epidemiological events.

Uncomplicated influenza

Uncomplicated influenza illness is typically characterized by the abrupt onset of constitutional and upper respiratory tract signs and symptoms (e.g., fever, chills, myalgia, headache, malaise, nonproductive cough, sore throat, and rhinitis). However, many people who are sick with influenza virus infection do not manifest fever, especially those who are elderly or immunosuppressed. Atypical signs and symptoms of influenza virus infection can occur, including in frail, institutionalized elderly long-term care facility residents. Among young children with influenza, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea may also occur with respiratory symptoms. Uncomplicated influenza signs and symptoms typically resolve after 3-7 days for the majority of people, although cough and malaise can persist for >2 weeks, especially in elderly people and those with chronic lung disease.

Complications

Influenza virus infection of the respiratory tract can cause a wide range of complications that can result in severe disease. Certain people are at increased risk for complications from influenza. In young children, otitis media and respiratory complications such as croup, bronchiolitis, and tracheitis can occur. Other complications in children include cardiac (myocarditis and pericarditis), musculoskeletal (severe myositis), and neurologic (encephalopathy, encephalitis, transverse myelitis, and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis). Reye syndrome is associated with influenza (more common with influenza B than influenza A virus infections) and salicylate exposure; however Reye syndrome with influenza is very rare since aspirin use in children with influenza or varicella was recommended against in 1982. In peopleof all ages, influenza can result in dehydration, and exacerbation of underlying chronic medical conditions (e.g. heart failure, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma), Both primary influenza viral pneumonia and secondary invasive bacterial pneumonia (most commonly with Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-sensitive or  methicillin-resistant, and group A Streptococcus) can lead to acute lung injury, respiratory failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock, and multi-organ failure. Invasive infection with Neisseria meningitidis resulting in meningococcemia and meningitis can follow influenza.

Information about influenza disease burden is available.

Information on currently approved influenza tests, and guidance on interpretation of testing results is available, as is guidance on antiviral treatment. The Infectious Diseases Society of America Influenza Clinical Practice Guidelines provide additional information about complications associated with influenza, influenza testing, interpretation of testing results, and treatment recommendations.

Difference Between Flu and COVID-19

Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2, and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses. You cannot tell the difference between flu and COVID-19 by symptoms alone because some of the symptoms are the same. Some PCR tests can differentiate between flu and COVID-19 at the same time. If one of these tests is not available, many testing locations provide flu and COVID-19 tests separately. Talk to a healthcare provider about getting tested for both flu and COVID-19 if you have symptoms.