Buzz
According to statistics, the death toll from the corona virus has exceeded that of SARS. Over 34,000 people have been diagnosed with the corona virus. Among them, in Hubei Province, the epicenter of the outbreak, the death toll has reached 780, according to regional health officials.
Preliminary assessments indicate that the new corona virus, originating in China, is less severe than the SARS virus but spreads more easily. Similar to the SARS virus, this virus causes severe acute respiratory syndrome, belongs to the corona virus strain, and can be transmitted from person to person, causing respiratory difficulties. The SARS epidemic in 2002-2003 resulted in a total of 774 deaths worldwide (including 349 in mainland China and 299 in Hong Kong). However, according to a Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention official, the new corona virus is not as severe as the SARS virus, meaning the mortality rate of the virus originating from Wuhan is much lower than that of the SARS virus (10%).
An infectious disease expert at Wuhan University believes it should not be underestimated, but also not excessively panicked: the symptoms of the majority of patients infected with the new corona virus are mild and can be easily treated. On the other hand, the majority of fatalities are individuals who had pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, liver disease, high blood pressure, or coronary artery disease, and are over 65 years old.
However, the new corona virus is more infectious than the SARS virus. The incubation period of the new virus can be up to 14 days, and patients can transmit it to others even when they do not show symptoms: high fever, difficulty breathing... In other words, the virus may already be present in the body of a person without a fever. Even those with a fever, if they take fever-reducing medication on the plane, cannot be detected upon arrival at the airport.
Many experts argue that using passenger thermal scanners at airports is not necessarily an effective measure to prevent outbreaks, but rather a measure to reassure the public. Unlike other countries, France has not implemented thermal scanners at airports for passengers arriving from China.
Currently, there is no specific treatment for the new corona virus, and doctors can only treat the symptoms of acute respiratory pneumonia. According to health experts, we prevent infection through the most basic hygiene practices, especially frequent hand washing.
Only two out of a total of 803 deaths so far have occurred outside mainland China. In 2003, 774 people died from SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in over two dozen countries. But now, there have been more than 34,800 people infected with the new coronavirus worldwide, with the majority in China.
The latest developments in the corona virus outbreak
In the latest update, health officials in Hubei reported 81 new deaths on Saturday, bringing the death toll in the region to 780. There have now been 801 deaths in China, with one in Hong Kong and one in the Philippines.
This new strain of corona virus, also known as 2019-nCov, was first detected in the epicenter of Wuhan, Hubei Province, and the city has been under lockdown for several weeks.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong has implemented mandatory two-week quarantine for anyone arriving from mainland China. Travelers are required to self-isolate in hotel rooms or government-run centers, while residents are asked to stay indoors.
