Coronavirus mimics common illnesses

Written By Luke Mongelli, Co-News Editor

The fifth case of the Wuhan Coronavirus in the United States has been identified by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

This particular Coronavirus originated in Wuhan, China. The virus is believed to have spread from a wet market within the city, where raw meat is sold and served alongside live animals that are also sold in the market as well.

The virus has already killed 81 people in China, and thought to have already infected approximately 2,700 more citizens.

In narrow walkways, live and dead animals live in close proximity, allowing the virus to spread much easier than it would on its own.

“Poorly regulated, live animal markets mixed with illegal wildlife trade offer a unique opportunity for viruses to spillover from wildlife hosts into the human population,” the Wildlife Conservation Society revealed in a statement given to Business Insider.

Since the greater outbreak, the wet market responsible for the spread of the coronavirus has closed, and is under further investigation.

Coronavirus’ are viruses usually spread between animals that cause digestive tract and respiratory issues. It is capable to spread to humans, and the main symptoms include mild respiratory infections. In some rare cases, the Coronavirus can be fatal to humans, but in Wuhan, the death toll has spiked.

According to Aljazeera News, the Coronavirus has since made its way from China to:

 

  • Australia- Five confirmed cases
  • Cambodia- One confirmed case
  • France- Three confirmed cases
  • Japan- Four confirmed cases
  • Malaysia- Four confirmed cases
  • Nepal- One confirmed case
  • Singapore- Four confirmed cases
  • South Korea- Four confirmed cases
  • Taiwan- Three confirmed cases
  • Thailand- Eight confirmed cases
  • Vietnam- Two confirmed cases

 

There are now five confirmed infections in the United States. The infections have been confirmed in Everett, Wash., Chicago, Ill., Maricopa, Ariz., Los Angeles, Calif., and Orange County Calif. The CDC is investigating 61 potential cases in 22 different U.S. states.

The first man diagnosed in the U.S. recently took a trip to Wuhan, and felt the effects when he later returned home.

The woman most recently diagnosed in the United States had also recently traveled to Wuhan, and did not start to feel ill until she arrived home in Chicago.

Neither subject reported using any public transportation, and anyone whom they had had contact with since their return is being monitored closely through testing.

According to NBC, all five of the known carriers of the Coronavirus are held in isolation at hospitals.

“We ask that any individual who begins to experience symptoms and has recently traveled to Wuhan, or had contact with someone diagnosed with the novel Coronavirus to call their health care provider or hospital before seeking treatment, so that appropriate infection control measures can be put into place,” said Dr. Jennifer Layden, chief medical officer at the Illinois Department of Public Health in an interview with ABC News.

According to the CDC, common human Coronavirus symptoms include, runny nose, headache, severe cough, fever and a general feeling of being unwell, which in turn makes human Coronavirus difficult to differentiate between everyday common illnesses.

In order to detect this specific strain of virus, a person’s healthcare professional must send for laboratory tests on respiratory specimens and a blood sample in order to gain more specific information.

Although seeming like an impending threat, professionals say that there should not be cause for widespread panic.

“The risk that others have been affected and will be affected is low,” health officials said.