Coronavirus Outbreak

Coronavirus Outbreak

Ella Mossman, Staff Writer

The coronavirus is one the deadliest viruses that is affecting humans today. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on January 30th that the Coronavirus outbreak is a “public health emergency.” This particular strain of the virus originated from the Wuhan province in China; authorities believe specifically from a seafood market where bushmeats were traded illegally. Healthline Media reports that bats might be the original host of this strain of Coronavirus. Chinese authorities have since quarantined the open-aire marketplace.  

The coronavirus can be spread within seconds through coughing, sneezing, or touching an infected person. This strain of coronavirus typically causes respiratory illnesses similar to the common cold. The United States confirmed a sixth case of the Wuhan Coronavirus on the 30th, marking the first time the virus has spread from person to person in the United States. Two of the cases have been located in the state of California. Chinese officials have recorded almost 1,900 new cases of coronavirus, according to The Washington Post. The amount of people affected in mainland China has reached over 8,000, which surpasses the number of Chinese infected with SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) from 2002 to 2003.