coronavirus

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as  Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV)  and  Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV) .  A novel coronavirus (nCoV)  is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.   Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people.  Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.   Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.  Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular h...

How to protect yourself There are currently no vaccines available to protect you against human coronavirus infection. You may be able to reduce your risk of infection by doing the following wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands avoid close contact with people who are sick For information about hand washing, see  CDC’s Clean Hands Save Lives! How to protect others If you have cold-like symptoms, you can help protect others by doing the following stay home while you are sick avoid close contact with others cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands clean and disinfect objects and surfaces Treatment There are no specific treatments for illnesses caused by human coronaviruses. Most people with common human coronavirus illness will recover on their own. However, you can do some things to relieve you...

A new coronavirus that has spread to almost 2,000 people is infectious in its incubation period - before symptoms show - making it harder to contain, Chinese officials say. Some 56 people have died from the virus. Health minister Ma Xiaowei told reporters the ability of the virus to spread appeared to be strengthening. Several Chinese cities have imposed significant travel restrictions. Wuhan in Hubei, the source of the outbreak, is in effective lockdown. Wuhan: The London-sized city where the virus began How do you quarantine a city - and does it work? The infections were at a "crucial stage of containment", Ma Xiaowei said. Officials announced that the sale of all wildlife in China would be banned from Sunday. The virus is thought to have originated in animals, but no cause has been officially identified. In humans, the incubation period - during which a person has the disease, but no symptoms yet - ranges from between one and 14 days, officials believe. ...