Ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday season in China, the most populated country in the world is currently experiencing a deadly outbreak of coronavirus. As many as 17 people have been reported dead and more than 550 people have been affected due to coronavirus.
Earlier the other day, a case of coronavirus was reported in the U.S. as well, which hints the virus’s capability to spread from one human to another.
With a situation this alarming, it’s essential to understand what makes this virus so deadly and how one can save themselves from the same.
So here’s everything you need to know about the coronavirus.
What is Coronavirus?
As per the World Health Organization, coronaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
These viruses are transmitted between humans and animals. The virus identified in China has been named 2019-nCoV (Novel coronavirus), and is a strain that had never been identified in humans previously.
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What are the Symptoms?
As per WHO, the symptoms of coronavirus are as simple as respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. When not treated or overlooked, coronavirus in severe cases can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.
Is Coronavirus deadly?
Experts say that coronavirus is not as deadly as other viruses like SARS, which killed nearly 800 people worldwide during a 2002-03 outbreak. SARS also originated in China.
Places Where Coronavirus has been reported
Hubie Province, which capital is Wuhan in China has seen all the death related to coronavirus till now. Beyond China, Thailand has reported four cases, while South Korea, Taiwan, Japan and the United States have each confirmed one.
All those cases involve people who had either come from Wuhan or been there recently.
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What is being done to stop the virus from spreading?
Currently, there’s no vaccine to stop the virus from spreading or curbing its effects. Chinese authorities have sealed Wuhan as of now. The trains and flight passage from and into Wuhan have been suspended. Moreover, residents are told not to leave Wuhan without a special reason.
Airpot authorities from countries across the globe are screening passengers from China, especially Wuhan, to stop a global spread.
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Where did the virus originate from?
China says the virus may have originated from a seafood market in Wuhan where wildlife was also traded illegally. There is also evidence of patient to patient transmission. Chineses authorities said that medical staff at the hospitals (where infected were being treated) have also got infected.
