The strategy for controlling COVID-19 in Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)/Iraq: Identification, epidemiology, transmission, treatment, and recovery

• Published in: International journal of surgery open Vol. 25; pp. 41 - 46
• Main Authors: Aziz, Peshawa Yunis, Hadi, Jihad M., Sha, Aram M., Aziz, Shujahadeen Bakr, Rahman, Heshu Sulaiman, Ahmed, Hiwa A., Abdulla, Mahmood Ameen, Amine Ali, Shwan M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 2020; University of Sulaimani. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Surgical Associates Ltd
• Subjects: COVID-19 infection; Immunity; Medicinal plant; Protection; Therapy; Transmission; Therapy; COVID-19 infection; Protection; Immunity; Transmission; Medicinal plant
• ISSN: 2405-8572; 2405-8572
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijso.2020.06.006

This study has carried out a mini-review on first wave of COVID-19 infection and its control by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)/Iraq. COVID-19 infection, which was named by the International Committee of Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) as SARS-CoV-2, is a newly identified coronavirus. The last century has seen the outbreak of numerous life-threatening human pathogens including Nipah, Ebola, Zika, Chikungunya, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), and more recently a novel coronavirus has been observed. COVID-19 infection has so far spread to more than 186 countries around the world and KRG/Iraq has not been free from this virus. In this survey, the control of COVID-19 infection in KRG as a part of Iraq is discussed in detail. The methods of identification as well as the drugs that are currently in common use to reduce the wide distribution of COVID-19 infection and their effects in countries around the world are considered. So far, 714 positive cases have been reported by the ministry of health in Kurdistan Region Government-Iraq (KRG), among which there have been only 8 deaths, and 420 cases have recovered. Those who died had a previous history of a chronic disease such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and hypercholesteremia. Alternative medicine based on natural green methods has been widely used by Kurdish people in past years for treatment of strong coughs. In the present study, some natural products which are cost free and effective in enhancing the body's resistance against the virus are considered. A surprising finding is that the patients in KRG have not in general had a severe cough, flu, or fever. The possible explanation may relate to the patients' strong immune systems, since none of them had a history of using alcohol and drugs, or of chronic disease. The epidemiology and transmission of the virus are discussed as well.
•COVID-19 is considered as a cause of respiratory illness in Kurdistan.•The death rate is frequently found in individuals above age 60 worldwide.•PCR is used as the main test for the diagnosis for COVID-19 in Kurdistan.•Natural products can boost the immune system and overcome the COVID-19.