Scientists have just found a new Chinese coronavirus, which has infected hundreds since an outbreak in Wuhan, China. It began at an animal and seafood market in the city and has now become transmissible between humans. This never-before-seen virus, has claimed the lives of 17 people and infected more than 400 Chinese citizens. It was first reported to the Word Health Organization on December 31st and has been investigated since then. Chinese scientists have found evidence that the disease has links to another deadly virus called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) which killed 770 people in 2002-2003.
A man in Seattle, Washington who had recently traveled to Wuhan, China has been infected with the new Wuhan coronavirus. This case marks the first in the United States since the outbreak of this new virus has begun. The victim, whose identity hasn't been disclosed to the public, was in his 30s, when he arrived in the U.S. last week before officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced airline passengers arriving from or traveling to the Wuhan province.
The patient is in stable condition. He has been isolated at the Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Wa. Officials say he poses "little risk" to the medical staff and the public. The man was reportedly aware of the Wuhan coronavirus before he became ill and have reached out to state health officials, when he began experiencing symptoms, including fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
Since the patient was not on a direct flight from Wuhan. This means that people on more than one flight may have been exposed to the disease. Kathy Stover, the branch chief for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) said in an email, "I can confirm that we are at the very early stages of developing a vaccine to combat the Wuhan coronavirus."
Will there be a new plague in 2020? Will the Coronavirus be as fatal as Ebola was? Will scientists find a cure before the virus mutates again? The answer will only be found in due time.
