A new virus called the Coronavirus has arisen in Wuhan, China and is now spreading to other parts of the world, including the United States. It has been linked to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) which infected more than 8,000 people and killed around 800 before it could be contained. Coronavirus has thousands of confirmed cases worldwide and has killed at least 80.
This new virus, while sharing many similarities with SARS, is appearing to be not as deadly. Global health officials believe Coronavirus originated from animals being sold in a Wuhan market. The airborne disease is spread from close contact with an infected person by way of coughing, sneezing, or infected germs left on surfaces that are touched by a healthy person who then touch their face.
China is restricting travel to some 35 million people and other countries, including the US, have taken to screening passengers arriving from Wuhan in major airports. Additionally, the threat of Coronavirus has had an effect on the stock market, with the Dow industrials falling more than 500 points as concerns continue to rise.
Though originating in China, the virus has also spread to Thailand, the US, Taiwan, South Korea, Nepal, Japan, Vietnam, and Singapore. In the US, there have been five confirmed cases in Washington state, Chicago, Los Angeles County, and Orange County, California, and Arizona. Health officials deem the threat to Americans as low and are monitoring anyone who has potential close contact with the individuals who contracted the disease.