By now, most people have heard of the epidemic and are aware of the dangers of the coronavirus that originates in animals such as bats and snakes and has spread to humans.  It causes pneumonia and those who are infected suffer from coughs, fever and breathing difficulties. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak “a public health emergency of international concern.”  It spreads quickly, many people are dying from it and there is no vaccine for the new coronavirus.
The virus is spreading quickly. In China, where the coronavirus started, as of January 24th, the Chinese government, identified more than 1,000 cases and 41 deaths. A week later “the number of confirmed infections has more than tripled and cases have been found in 13 provinces as well as the municipalities Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Tianjin.” It has also been detected outside of China, like in Asia and the U.S.
Many people are dying from the virus. Specially people with bad health, like old people or those that have respiratory and immune problems, can more easily get the virus.  There is too little information on the numbers of deaths caused by the coronavirus compared to the seasonal flu that has, “a mortality rate below 1% and is thought to cause about 400,000 deaths each year globally,” according to TheGuardian.com.
There’s no vaccine for this virus yet since it is a viral pneumonia where antibiotics don’t work. The coronavirus is a public health emergency and a threat to our society because the fatal virus spreads quickly. There is no cure at the moment. That’s why it is important to wash your hands and cough into your sleeves. So that the virus doesn’t spread to other people.