The following article was eye-opening. Apparently “coronavirus” is a genus and there are different species under it. Put another way, “coronavirus” is a generic term referring to a specific type of virus. The current outbreak has been dubbed the “Wuhan virus” after the city where the first report emerged earlier this month. That said, there are still many unknowns about it.
We at Catholic Business Journal think that following article does a fairly good job of making distinctions and helping the rest of us get a little more up to speed, a little more prepared. -ed.
SkyNews- …What is a coronavirus – and what traits does this one have? How easily does it spread? And should you be worried about jetting off to East Asia?
Here’s what you need to know.
What is a coronavirus?
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes coronaviruses as a large family of viruses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed nearly 800 people globally during a 2002/03 outbreak that also started in China.
When a new strain emerges that has not yet been identified, as is the case with the current outbreak in China, it temporarily becomes known as a novel coronavirus (nCoV).
All coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people.
Christopher Coleman, assistant professor of infection immunology at Nottingham University, told Sky News: “They get their name because under the electron microscope there’s a bright ring around the central core of the virus, like the sun essentially.”
What are the symptoms?
There are a number of common signs that you may be infected, most of which are respiratory such as experiencing breathing difficulties, shortness of breath and having a cough.
You may have a fever.
More serious cases could lead to… Read More>> (TIP: Be sure to keep scrolling past ads to continue reading article)
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