Coronavirus: All that you must find out about

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global health emergency over a new coronavirus that has killed a minimum of 490 individuals in mainland China and two more elsewhere following an outbreak in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

More than 24,500 cases have been reported worldwide, most of them in China’s Hubei province. A man from Wuhan died within the Philippines on February 2 and Hong Kong reported its first dying on February 4.

The an infection is now more widespread than the 2002-2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak, which also originated in China, when it comes to affected individuals however not deaths.

Here is what you want to know:

What is coronavirus?

According to the WHO, coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause sickness starting from the frequent cold to more severe diseases reminiscent of SARS and Center East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

These viruses were initially transmitted between animals and people. SARS, for example, was believed to have been transmitted from civet cats to people while MERS travelled from a type of camel to humans.

Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not but infected humans.

The name coronavirus comes from the Latin word corona, which means crown or halo. Under an electron microscope, the image of the virus is reminiscent of a solar corona.

A novel coronavirus, recognized by Chinese authorities on January 7 and named 2019-nCoV, is a new strain that had not been beforehand identified in humans.

Little is known about it, though human-to-human transmission has been confirmed.

What are the signs?

In keeping with the WHO, signs of an infection embrace fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

In more severe cases, it will possibly lead to pneumonia, SARS, kidney failure and even death.

The incubation period of the coronavirus stays unknown. Some sources say it could possibly be between 10 and 14 days.

How deadly is it?

Some consultants say it is probably not as deadly as other types of coronavirus corresponding to SARS, which killed nearly 800 folks worldwide, more than 300 in China alone – throughout a 2002-2003 outbreak that additionally originated in China.

MERS, which did not spread as widely, was more deadly, killing one-third of those it infected.

In China, nonetheless, the infection is more widespread than SARS in terms of case numbers.

Where have cases been reported?

Most cases and deaths have been reported in China – the vast majority in Hubei Province.

Up to now, Hong Kong and the Philippines have reported one dying each from the new virus outside of mainland China.

The virus has spread to many countries in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as Australia, Europe, North America and the Middle East. Nearly all of cases outside China are among people who just lately travelled to the country.

Read more about which countries have confirmed cases here.

What’s being executed to stop it from spreading?

Scientists are working on a vaccine but have warned one is unlikely to be available for mass distribution earlier than 2021.

Chinese authorities have effectively sealed off Wuhan, and have positioned restrictions on journey to and from a number of other cities, affecting some 56 million people.

The move was meant to “resolutely comprise the momentum of the epidemic spreading” and protect lives, the central city’s special command centre in opposition to the virus said, in line with state broadcaster CCTV.

Many airlines have cancelled flights to China, while some international locations have banned Chinese nationals from coming into and have evacuated their citizens from Wuhan.

Where did the virus originate?

Chinese health authorities are still attempting to determine the origin of the virus, which they say possible got here from a seafood market in Wuhan where wildlife was also traded illegally.

The WHO additionally says an animal source seems probably to be the first source of the outbreak.

On February 2, officials in Hubei said the virus had a 96 percent concordance with an already-known bat-borne coronavirus. Chinese scientists beforehand mentioned snakes as a attainable source.

Is this a worldwide emergency?

The outbreak constitutes a global health emergency, the WHO has said.

The decision to sound the highest-stage alarm was made after the first cases of human-to-human transmission outside China were confirmed.

The worldwide health alert is a call on international locations around the globe to coordinate their response under the steering of the United Nations health agency.

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