A corona virus has killed people in China and is spreading rapidly. A similar virus has killed 1,000 people in the past.
- A new virus has been stirring the global community since January 2020.
- China first informed the World Health Organization (WHO) of a mysterious lung disease on December 31.
- Despite drastic measures, the novel corona virus is spreading rapidly.
Wuhan - A new epidemic is spreading rapidly in China. According to official information, the number of infected people has risen to several hundred within a few weeks. Experts estimate that the number of unreported cases is significantly higher. At least four people had died of the lung disease at the end of January.
Those affected mostly suffer from fever and cough , in severe cases pneumonia occurs . The virus makes transmission from person to person particularly dangerous. In the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan, where the virus has broken out, several caregivers have infected patients.
Read more : Corona virus at the University of Passau? In the social media app Jodel, a user shared a supposed article from the Süddeutsche Zeitung. All fake, how it came out now.
Coronavirus: The pathogen has been identified as a member of the highly variable corona virus family
The good news is that the pathogen has already been identified. Experts from the Chinese Health Commission were able to assign him to the Coronaviridae family. Most types of this virus family only attack certain species, but due to their variability , they can also adapt to new hosts .
So also in the given case. The World Health Organization ( WHO) believes the disease came from a fish market in Wuhan. The first sufferers were sellers on this market, where poultry and other animals were offered for sale in addition to fish. The Chinese authorities closed the market earlier this year.
BREAKING: WHO Director-General @DrTedros will convene an Emergency Committee on the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) under the International Health Regulations.
The Committee will meet on Wednesday, 22 January 2020. pic.twitter.com/w3w7ZuoTeG
Corona viruses: The Sars virus cost up to 1,000 lives
In humans, infections with coronaviruses usually only manifest themselves in mild cold symptoms . However, some variants of the family can be extremely dangerous. For example, the Sars virus , which estimated to kill up to 1000 people in 2002 and 2003.
In the case of the new pathogen, which bears the preliminary name 2019-nCoV , the lethality (lethality) is still unclear. Basically, the risk for old or weakened people is always greater. All previous victims were over 60.
Coronavirus: Risk for Germany is assessed differently
According to the Chinese authorities, the number of infected people has now reached more than 45,000 (as of February 10, 2020). International experts estimate the number significantly higher, however, since the first infections abroad have already been reported. The virus is also said to have claimed more than 900 lives (February 10, 2020).
An expert from the Berlin Charité also believes in infections in Germany. The Federal Ministry of Health currently describes the risk as " very low ". However, recommendations have been issued for travelers to the countries concerned.
Viruses are particularly difficult to combat because there are no drugs to combat the pathogen itself. Only the symptoms or secondary illnesses can be treated. The most important thing is to protect yourself from infection. Meanwhile, there is also concern that the 2020 Olympics can take place in Tokyo.
pks
