Novel Coronavirus: The New Global Pandemic (... and I was About to go to China!)
by Independent Thinker
Scanning electron microscope image of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 aka the 2019 novel coronavirus. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus_disease_2019#/media/File:SARS-CoV-2_49531042877.jpg Original Source: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/novel-coronavirus-sarscov2-images
Hello all! I'm sure by this time you all have probably heard of the novel coronavirus that is going around the world, and originating in Wuhan, China, which is the epicentre of China's epidemic.
The coronavirus is related to the SARS virus however, this version seems to be much more contagious though far less deadly. People that are most at risk are the elderly, as well as those with underlying conditions. As the flu, I believe it can go to bronchitis and pneumonia, which is lethal. I've had bronchitis before, perhaps even pneumonia and trust me: YOU DON'T WANT TO GET IT.
Now the virus has a fairly long incubation period, and there are people who are asymptomatic, though they carry the virus. The mortality rate appears to be around 1% making it 10 times more lethal than the common influenza. Modes of transmission are not completely known though you can get it by being close to those that are infected with it, through the air. Washing your hands and not touching your face are other preventative measures. I suppose if you do get it, the best thing to do is rest and take care of yourself, let your immune system do what it needs to do, though if symptoms become severe a doctor/or hospital should be contacted. What may occur is that the immune system can start working very hard in the lungs and damage the lungs to the point of it being lethal, or so I've heard.
Anyway, the biggest area and population with the infection is Wuhan, where the PRC has basically shut off the whole province with Wuhan, the streets are essentially empty for a city of 16 million. So far there have been over 100, 000 infections worldwide. The worst hit are People's Republic of China, as well as the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Italy and Iran are next worse hit, though there are also a substantial number of cases in Japan, France, and Germany.
The United States is also having a surge in cases, and things are predicted or at least expected to get worse. The virus has been detected now in almost all countries, or certainly very many of them, though so far not in great numbers.
In East Asia, so far North Korea, Macao, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, and Indonesia, seem to be coping relatively well. However, around the world the virus is having grave consequences on the tourism industry, and there are also fears that this will trigger a global recession. Apple for example, has many factories in China that have been adversely affected by this epidemic. Bill Gates called this a pandemic, and I'd recommend that others adopt this as well. I'm almost positive that this will unfortunately, spread around the world more, and expand. I don't think we are at the zenith of the outbreak unfortunately.
Considering that this is a virus, there aren't any drugs available to combat it. Neither anti-viral drugs, nor a vaccine for this have yet been developed.
It is believed that this virus came from animals, and mutated into a form transmissible to humans. It is almost difficult to believe that this has happened so quickly but then again not so difficult when you look back at much worse outbreaks throughout history.
I was honestly, interested in moving to China a few months ago. I wanted to teach English to high school students or at a Chinese university. I was offered a job not in Hubei province which is where Wuhan is located, but not too far from Hubei. I consider myself a bit lucky that I was hesitant to accept the offer (there were some risky things in the contract that I didn't like all that much). The job offer did pay rather well though, and the living costs in the city I would go to would really be very low. I enjoy travelling, and so seriously considered it as a possibility, now I've put that plan on hold, and if I ever do go back to East Asia to teach English as a second Language, I doubt that it'll be in the People's Republic of China. Oh well, I really think it would have been an interesting place to explore, so much history, and so on and so forth. Tibet would have also been quite an experience.
In any case I hope the readers take some sort of precautions if they are necessary, and that this situation will be dealt with in a manner so decent people wouldn't have to suffer. I wonder though how many people will this virus affect, and whether or not it will become endemic. Are we really on the verge of a global recession? Only time will tell.
Scanning electron microscope image of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 aka the 2019 novel coronavirus. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus_disease_2019#/media/File:SARS-CoV-2_49531042877.jpg Original Source: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/novel-coronavirus-sarscov2-images
Hello all! I'm sure by this time you all have probably heard of the novel coronavirus that is going around the world, and originating in Wuhan, China, which is the epicentre of China's epidemic.
The coronavirus is related to the SARS virus however, this version seems to be much more contagious though far less deadly. People that are most at risk are the elderly, as well as those with underlying conditions. As the flu, I believe it can go to bronchitis and pneumonia, which is lethal. I've had bronchitis before, perhaps even pneumonia and trust me: YOU DON'T WANT TO GET IT.
Now the virus has a fairly long incubation period, and there are people who are asymptomatic, though they carry the virus. The mortality rate appears to be around 1% making it 10 times more lethal than the common influenza. Modes of transmission are not completely known though you can get it by being close to those that are infected with it, through the air. Washing your hands and not touching your face are other preventative measures. I suppose if you do get it, the best thing to do is rest and take care of yourself, let your immune system do what it needs to do, though if symptoms become severe a doctor/or hospital should be contacted. What may occur is that the immune system can start working very hard in the lungs and damage the lungs to the point of it being lethal, or so I've heard.
Anyway, the biggest area and population with the infection is Wuhan, where the PRC has basically shut off the whole province with Wuhan, the streets are essentially empty for a city of 16 million. So far there have been over 100, 000 infections worldwide. The worst hit are People's Republic of China, as well as the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Italy and Iran are next worse hit, though there are also a substantial number of cases in Japan, France, and Germany.
The United States is also having a surge in cases, and things are predicted or at least expected to get worse. The virus has been detected now in almost all countries, or certainly very many of them, though so far not in great numbers.
In East Asia, so far North Korea, Macao, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, and Indonesia, seem to be coping relatively well. However, around the world the virus is having grave consequences on the tourism industry, and there are also fears that this will trigger a global recession. Apple for example, has many factories in China that have been adversely affected by this epidemic. Bill Gates called this a pandemic, and I'd recommend that others adopt this as well. I'm almost positive that this will unfortunately, spread around the world more, and expand. I don't think we are at the zenith of the outbreak unfortunately.
Considering that this is a virus, there aren't any drugs available to combat it. Neither anti-viral drugs, nor a vaccine for this have yet been developed.
It is believed that this virus came from animals, and mutated into a form transmissible to humans. It is almost difficult to believe that this has happened so quickly but then again not so difficult when you look back at much worse outbreaks throughout history.
I was honestly, interested in moving to China a few months ago. I wanted to teach English to high school students or at a Chinese university. I was offered a job not in Hubei province which is where Wuhan is located, but not too far from Hubei. I consider myself a bit lucky that I was hesitant to accept the offer (there were some risky things in the contract that I didn't like all that much). The job offer did pay rather well though, and the living costs in the city I would go to would really be very low. I enjoy travelling, and so seriously considered it as a possibility, now I've put that plan on hold, and if I ever do go back to East Asia to teach English as a second Language, I doubt that it'll be in the People's Republic of China. Oh well, I really think it would have been an interesting place to explore, so much history, and so on and so forth. Tibet would have also been quite an experience.
In any case I hope the readers take some sort of precautions if they are necessary, and that this situation will be dealt with in a manner so decent people wouldn't have to suffer. I wonder though how many people will this virus affect, and whether or not it will become endemic. Are we really on the verge of a global recession? Only time will tell.
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