Worse still, the new coronavirus can cause infections with no symptoms and sicken otherwise healthy people, according to studies.
About 858 people have died from Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), which first appeared in 2012 in Saudi Arabia and then in other countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe. In April 2014, the first American was hospitalized for MERS in Indiana and another case was reported in Florida. Both had just returned from Saudi Arabia. In May 2015, there was an outbreak of MERS in Korea, which was the largest outbreak outside of the Arabian Peninsula. In 2003, 774 people died from a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak. As of 2015, there were no further reports of cases of SARS. MERS and SARS are types of coronaviruses.
But in early January 2020, the World Health Organization identified a new type: 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China. By late January, there were 300 confirmed cases in China and a death count that was still in the single digits, but rising. And despite airport screenings, a traveler had brought the first case to the U.S.
What is coronavirus?
Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that cause diseases in mammals, including humans and birds. In humans, the virus causes respiratory infections which are typically mild, but may rarely be lethal. In cows and pigs they may cause diarrhea, while in chickens it can cause an upper respiratory disease.
They are named for the crown-like spikes on the surface of the virus. Some coronaviruses only affect animals, but others can also affect humans. Most people get infected with human coronaviruses at some time in their life. This usually causes mild to moderate upper-respiratory infections, like the common cold. But they can also cause more severe illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
There are several different types of human coronaviruses, including the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) viruses.
Human coronaviruses usually spread from an infected person to others through the following.
Anyone can get a coronavirus infection, but young children are most likely to get infected. In the United States, infections are more common in the fall and winter.
The symptoms depend on the type of coronavirus and how serious the infection is. If you have a mild to moderate upper-respiratory infection such as the common cold, your symptoms may include
Some coronaviruses can cause severe symptoms. The infections may turn into bronchitis and pneumonia, which cause symptoms such as the following.
To make a diagnosis, your health care provider will
There are no specific treatments for coronavirus infections. Most people will get better on their own. However, you can relieve your symptoms by
If you are worried about your symptoms, contact your health care provider.
Right now, there aren’t any vaccines to prevent human coronavirus infections. But you may able to reduce your risk of getting or spreading an infection by doing the following.
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