Recently in China there has been an outbreak of a virus which has been named Wuhan Novel Coronavirus. We are here to give you some fact and supply you with a reliable source to follow as this continues to develop.
Coronaviruses are common in animals-which include camels and bats-very rarely do they spread to humans, and when they do, we do not know why certain people become infected. When infected, people typically present with respiratory type illness/common cold-these include runny nose, cough, sore throat, fever, and headache. The virus is spread through close contact, like shaking hands or touching surfaces with the virus on it and then touching the face or mucous membranes. It is also spread through the air after an infected person coughs or sneezes and rarely, through fecal contamination.
As we learn more about this virus, don’t be surprised if you go to visit a friend in the hospital or go see your healthcare provider and they ask if you have recently traveled to China or specifically the Wuhan region of China. This is to help identify those who could possibly be infected with the virus. As for prevention, standard infection control measures are recommended: wash your hands, avoid touching your face, nose, eyes or mouth if your hands are unwashed, and avoid contact with those who are sick.
For further information and to follow this recent development, the Centers for Disease Control provides accurate, up-to-date information.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
