A Deadly Coronavirus Is Spreading In China, But What Exactly Is It?

On February 7, the first American died of coronavirus in Wuhan, China, sparking heightened concern of the illness that's already taken hundreds of lives. According to a New York Times report, the person was around 60-years-old. In the same week, Royal Caribbean cruises barred all passengers with passports from China or Macau to board any of their ships in an attempt to relegate the outbreak.

But, all of this news comes just a mere weeks after Chinese government officials confirmed human-to-human transmission of a new coronavirus on January 20, raising the likelihood that it could spread quickly and widely ahead of the Lunar New Year. Authorities in China announced a considerable increase in the number of confirmed cases of the fatal respiratory virus ahead of the highest traffic travel season in the country. Now, the number of infected patients, as well as the death toll, are continuing to rise at a rapid speed.

As of February, more than 900 people have died of coronavirus, surpassing the deadly toll of the SARS outbreak in 2002. Thailand, Japan, Britain, and Spain are among countries that have cases linked to recent travel from China. More than 40,000 people have reportedly been infected world-wide, with over 90 deaths in the past day alone.

Coronavirus was identified in China last month and monitored closely, despite the widespread outbreak. On December 31, 2019, the World Health Organization office in China was informed of cases of pneumonia with an unknown cause in Wuhan. Then, on January 7, Chinese authorities identified a novel coronavirus and WHO published interim medical guidance to prepare countries for the virus. This included best practices for monitoring patients, treatment, and controlling the outbreak by educating the public.

“The recent outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan and other places must be taken seriously,” President Xi Jinping said in a public statement. “Party committees, governments, and relevant departments at all levels should put people’s lives and health first.”

The World Health Organization previously announced an emergency committee meeting to determine whether the outbreak is to be considered a global health crisis warranting an internationally coordinated response, and they did act in accordance with the severity of it. In the past, declarations of this kind have been used for epidemics of severe illness threatening to become pandemics as they cross international borders.

As the virus continues to spread, many are wondering the exact nature of coronavirus, what it entails, and where it all started. We've outlined those answers below.

Coronavirus is a catch-all term for viral types of pneumonia and respiratory viruses ranging from iterations of the common cold to MERS and SARS. They are common among animals; however, on rare occasions, they become zoonotic, meaning that they can be transmitted from animals to humans. The World Health Organization says symptoms of this virus include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

In serious cases, certain strains of coronavirus can lead to pneumonia, kidney failure, and death. According to the Center for Disease Control, there are currently no vaccines to prevent people from contracting a coronavirus. There is also no treatment. Most people with common human coronaviruses will recover on their own. More dangerous strains such as SARS and MERS have 11% and 35% fatality rates, respectively.

But, hundreds of people came into close contact with diagnosed patients and did not get sick leading China’s municipal health commission to believe that while the virus is contagious, it is not easily transmitted between humans.

According to the Associated Press, the outbreak was traced back to people connected to a seafood market in Wuhan — a city in central China — late last month. Experts are concerned that the virus will spread more rapidly as people around the country travel for the Lunar New Year which begins January 25 with celebrations continuing through February 8. Annually, Lunar New Year amounts to one of the largest movements of people in the world and travel advisories are now recommended throughout China as a result.

Previous severe outbreaks of a deadly strain of coronavirus include Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2002 and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2013. Currently, the new coronavirus appears to be less severe than either of these outbreaks, reports Healthline.

The WHO and CDC are working together to manage the outbreak of this coronavirus. The CDC developed a test to diagnose the virus and is in the process of sharing this test internationally. Travel advisories and screenings at airports have also been issued.

On Friday Jan. 24, a Chicago woman became the second person in U.S. confirmed with coronavirus. This comes shortly after the the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's confirmation of the first U.S. case of coronavirus in Everett, Washington. Officials compiled lists of people both have been in contact with. In the last week of January, Chinese officials have took measures like shutting down public transportation options to prevent the spread of coronavirus across the nation.