It has been confirmed now that the Coronavirus (also called COVID-19 by W.H.O.) has spread throughout the world, most cases being in mainland China. As of right now, there have been more than seventy-five thousand confirmed cases, including more than two thousand deaths and more than fourteen thousand recoveries. The amount of new confirmed cases has slowed down in the last couple of days, creating a chance for more recoveries in China.
The first incident had been notified to the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) by China, reported as “several unusual cases of pneumonia” in Wuhan and the virus being unknown on December 31st. As health experts tried to identify the virus, workers became infected at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market and then was shut down on
January 1st. The amount of confirmed cases rose to forty and China suspected the virus to be a recurrence of the SARS virus (another virus that began in China and killed more than seven hundred seventy people worldwide) on January 5th. Then on January 7th, health officials confirmed this to be a new virus and belonging to the coronavirus family, consisting of SARS and the common flu. On January 9th, the first victim was a sixty-one year-old man (who had purchased items at the seafood market), but his death was not announced until January 11th.
W.H.O then confirmed the first case of the virus outside of China in Thailand, from a woman who traveled from Wuhan on January 13th. On January 16th and 17th, another death was confirmed in Wuhan and Japan asserted their first case. The virus soon spread to several countries within Europe in the next couple of days, as China verified their third death of the virus and more than two hundred confirmed cases. By January 30th, W.H.O. stated the coronavirus to be a global emergency, with China up to one hundred seventy deaths. By the first of February, the virus had spread to a majority of Europe and reached several other countries. Seven days later, a US citizen died in Wuhan and the death toll surpassed the amount the SARS virus killed. Then on February 12th, there was an announcement of one hundred seventy-five people infected aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama, Japan.
By February 15th, the US made preparations to remove their citizens from the cruise ship. It was also revealed by the state media that the president of China knew about the threat of the virus before the public became alarmed. As of February 18th, Japan confirmed ninety-nine new cases aboard the cruise ship and infection figures within China dropping below two thousand, with Russia banning entry for Chinese citizens from February 20th. As of today, Iran has reported two deaths from the effects of the
virus and hours after confirming their first case. China’s infection figures continue to decrease, with 15,084 recoveries. US citizens that were aboard the Diamond Princess are not allowed to travel back until 14 days have passed with no symptoms or positive test for the virus. The C.D.C. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) are taking precautions towards those passengers and do not want to risk the virus entering the United States. The virus has caused economic problems within and outside the US, with stocks declining since February 18th. Jaguar Land Rover has also started to have production problems as their car parts are made in China, with Fiat Chrysler, Renault, and Hyundai reporting interruptions as well.
Though there has been an increase in the amount of cases in the US, there is hope that everyone that has been infected will be able to recover. It is hoped that the W.H.O. and the C.D.C. find the answers about how to solve this problem, to prevent more deaths and increase the number of recoveries.
More updates will be given in the next edition.
