Public Health Scare: Novel Coronavirus

The Novel Coronavirus which originated in Wuhan, China could be considered one of the biggest news stories of the decade so far. While the virus began as an issue only isolated to China, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) has now confirmed cases in 19 different countries. The virus spreads from person to person “via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes”. The most common symptoms of Novel Coronavirus are fever, coughing, and breathing difficulties. Since symptoms can appear two days to two weeks after exposure the disease continues to spread before the host even knows that they are sick. 

According to the New York Times, there are now more than 6,000 reported cases of Novel Coronavirus surpassing the previous SARS epidemic which hit China in the early 2000s. This has resulted in 132 deaths, none of those being outside of China. Airport screenings have begun in an attempt to keep the disease from spreading and the United States has evacuated 200 citizens from China. Other nations that plan to follow suit include: “France, South Korea, Japan, Morocco, Germany, Kazakhstan, Britain, Canada, Russia, the Netherlands, Myanmar and Australia”. One roadblock in tracking the disease has been a scarcity of test kits, which unfortunately means that the number of Novel Coronavirus cases and deaths is likely even higher than what is being reported. Another issue reported by The New York Times was a markup on face masks being sold in Beijing. Customers who were trying to protect themselves by covering their nose and mouth were being charged over $100 for a simple mask. 

As Novel Coronavirus continues to spread the CDC has come out with a list of preventative measures that could help decrease the risk of contracting the virus. One of the simplest things to do is to wash your hands frequently and refrain from touching your mouth, eyes, and nose with dirty hands. If you begin to feel sick it is important to stay at home and monitor your symptoms so that other people you may come into contact with while out do not get infected. Even if you think that you have been infected with Novel Coronavirus you should not go to the doctor and risk exposing others. The CDC instructs people to “call ahead and tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms”. Although the US has not declared Coronavirus a major threat at the moment this could change if the virus continues to spread. Reported cases are increasing every day and it is important to stay vigilant no matter how safe you may feel.