A new strain of coronavirus (officially named 2019-nCoV), which has caused respiratory diseases in China, and spread to at least 23 other countries, has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Here are the basic facts you need to know about the virus (figures correct as of February 3, 2020).
Although the vast majority of cases have been in China, the virus, which can cause pneumonia, is worrying global health authorities. Some 151 cases have been confirmed in 23 countries, and the first death outside of China was recorded in the Philippines. Most of those affected by the virus had travelled from Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak.
This is only the fifth time that the World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency of international concern.
What is a public health emergency of international concern?
A public health emergency of international concern is declared by the WHO in cases of “an extraordinary event” which constitutes “a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease” and potentially requires a coordinated international response”.
Speaking at a meeting of the WHO Executive Board, the agency’s chief, Tedros Gebreyesus, explained that the decision to announce a PHEIC was made because of signs of human-to-human transmission outside China, and WHO’s concern regarding what might happen if the virus were to spread in a country with a weaker health system.
What is a coronavirus?
Coronaviruses consist of a core of genetic material, enclosed within an envelope of protein spikes, which resembles a crown (or, in Latin, corona). They are a large group of viruses that cause respiratory diseases and, sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms.
How deadly is novel coronavirus?
As of February 3, 361 people had died from novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). This represents about 2 percent of cases. By comparison, around 25 percent of MERS cases resulted in the death of the patient.
However, at this stage, it is still too early to determine how deadly the virus is: thousands of patients are being tested, with around 2,110 in a serious condition, and it is not yet known how these cases will evolve.
Is the virus transmitted from person to person?
The transmission of the virus from person to person has occurred mainly in the city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, but also in other parts of China and outside the country.
The exact way that the disease is transmitted is yet to be determined but, in general, respiratory diseases are spread via drops of fluids when someone coughs or sneezes, or by touching a surface infected with the virus.
According to Chinese scientists, people who get the virus are contagious even before they show symptoms. The incubation period – the period from when the infection occurs until symptoms develop – is between 1 and 14 days.
How fast is the virus spreading?
A large number of new cases are being reported on a daily basis (in the 24 hours period between February 1 and February 2, for example, over 2,590 new cases were confirmed in China), but this is not surprising, as more and more controls are being put in place to detect and confirm infections.
The total number of cases is expected to be much greater in the coming weeks.
Original source: UN News
Published on 03 February 2020
