Outbreak?!

What is it?

The new coronavirus has recently worked its way into the headlines of major news broadcasts and media. This virus was first detected in Wuhan City, China and has since entered into the United States. The suspected source of this virus is an animal reservoir, more specifically bats. Person to person contact has become a major path of transmission in China once the original population was suspected to be infected from a meat market. Below is what you need to know about the threat this disease poses on citizens in the US.

The CDC has explained that the threat to the majority of the population in the US is low. This is due to the isolation of patients infected with this virus and their limited person- person contact. Unless you’re a healthcare worker in direct contact with these patients, there is little reason to worry at this point. The virus has produced variations in severity with some cases being nearly asymptomatic and others deadly. Various restrictions have also been place on nonessential travel to China and the CDC is closely monitoring all incoming peoples for signs of the virus.

How to React

According to an article posted by the New York Times, the death toll in China has risen to 170 deaths with around 7000 infections worldwide. Although these numbers seen alarming, the US has only recorded a few cases with no person to person transmission. The signs to look out for regarding this virus include: fever, cough, and shortness of breath. These symptoms appear anywhere from a couple days to 2 weeks after exposure to the virus. Those traveling from infected areas in China should be aware of these signs and symptoms and seek medical attention if necessary. The prevalence of infection is expected to increase in the next few weeks, but the threat to the US is low at the time being.