What is Coronavirus
coronaviruses are a type of virus. There are many different kinds, and some cause disease. A newly identified type has caused a recent outbreak of respiratory illness now called COVID-19 that started in China. Scientists are racing to understand the coronavirus disease, Covid-19, which emerged in China in December.
A new virus called the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been identified as the cause of a disease outbreak that began in China. The disease is called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Because this virus is so new, not much is known about it yet. Public health groups, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are investigating. Check their websites for updates.
Coronavirus Symptoms
According to the NHS and the WHO, the main symptoms of the coronavirus usually include:
- A cough
- A high temperature
- Shortness of breath
- These symptoms are similar to other respiratory diseases including flu and the common cold. So if you have symptoms, consider the following:
- Have you travelled to a high risk area such as China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea or Northern Italy in the last two weeks ?
- Have you been in contact with someone who has?
How many people have died from the disease so far?
More than 89,000 cases have been confirmed since the outbreak started, and the death toll has exceeded 3,000. The vast majority of cases are in China, but the virus has spread to 40 other countries. According to data from the Chinese authorities, around 80 percent of cases of the disease are mild, but 20 percent require hospitalization.
