Back in December, in the Chinese city of Wuhan, a new virus started spreading. The virus is known as coronavirus. The first people who were infected got the virus from a seafood market, so it was thought that the disease spread from animals to humans instead of from humans to humans. 

Then, the virus spread from Wuhan to Beijing and Shanghai. There have also been confirmed cases of the virus in South Korea, Japan, and Thailand. Now, there’s a confirmed case in Seattle. We now know that the virus appears to be spreading from human to human instead of from animals to humans.

The American who was infected with the virus is a Washington state resident. He was returning home from a trip Wuhan. He didn’t visit the seafood market where the virus originated. 

When the man returned home from his trip, he did not have any symptoms of the virus. However, he had read about the virus, and when he started developing symptoms, he contacted his healthcare provider. He’s currently doing well, but he’s still in the hospital so that he can be monitored.

So far, about 300 people have been infected with the virus, and 6 people have died. To try to prevent the virus from spreading any more, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now screening passengers at airports in Seattle, Atlanta and Chicago.

Watch the video below for more important information on the deadly coronavirus.

 

Just like the common cold, the coronavirus has a range of symptoms including a sore throat, cough, runny nose and fever. Many cases are mild, but more severe cases can lead to pneumonia.

The biggest concern is that with the Lunar New Year coming up, many people will be traveling to and from China. Hopefully airport screenings will help stop the spread of the virus.

Do you have plans to travel to China in the near future?

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