Concern is high about the deadly virus behind a fast-growing global outbreak. Here is what health officials know so far.
By Betsy McKay and Talal Ansari Updated March 21, 2020 10:35 am ET Scientists and public-health officials are learning more about the new coronavirus behind a continuing pandemic. The disease it causes is called Covid-19. We are updating our questions and answers regularly to keep up with their findings. Here is what they know so far, and how you can minimize your risk.
Isolate yourself from others and limit contact with pets as well. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough and sneeze. Follow the same precautions you would to prevent infection, washing hands regularly. Wear a face mask, if you have one, when around others at home. Public-health officials are trying to determine how many people have been infected, including those who didn’t get sick at all. They are concerned and want to contain the virus because its effects aren’t fully known. In addition, new viruses can mutate, possibly becoming more virulent as they work their way through a population.
Is there a test? Yes, there are diagnostic tests that you can get through a doctor or hospital, which are the only way to confirm for certain whether a patient has the new coronavirus or another infection. Hundreds of thousands of people have been tested in China and South Korea. In the U.S., testing was limited by problems with a CDC-developed test and narrow testing criteria. Now, more tests are being distributed and the CDC says doctors may decide whether a patient should be tested.
Are there drugs to treat coronaviruses? There aren’t any drugs or vaccines approved specifically for the new virus. But more than three dozen are in development or being studied. The first human testing of Moderna Inc.’s experimental vaccine against the virus has begun at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. While this first part is starting early, the estimate still is that testing of the vaccine will take a year to 18 months to complete.
Are my children at risk? Few children have been reported with the infection, but that could change. Of the children who were infected in China, only a small proportion were severely ill, according to the WHO. While the disease is mild for teens and younger adults, some have had severe illnesses and died. Of 121 U.S. patients admitted to an intensive care unit, 12% were adults between the ages of 20 and 44, according to a study by the U.S. CDC.
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To infect new hosts, the virus’s genes undergo mutations that alter its surface proteins, allowing them to latch onto the cells of new species.In the case of SARS, the virus jumped from bats to civet cats before gaining the ability to infect humans. In the case of MERS, camels served as the intermediate host.Coronaviruses can also jump directly to humans, without mutating or passing through an intermediate species.
Scientists are also investigating whether the new coronavirus might spread through urine or feces. Tests have found it in the digestive tract of some patients. Can face masks protect you? Health experts and mask makers say only a properly used reusable N95 respirator mask certified by an independent agency can guard against the virus. But the U.S. CDC says you don’t need to wear a mask unless you’re caring for someone who is sick. In addition, supplies of masks are short and should be saved for health care workers and caregivers, the CDC says.
What we know about the science behind the new coronavirus Going back to basics: What is a coronavirus? This virus belongs to a family of viruses known as coronaviruses. Named for the crown-like spikes on their surfaces, they infect mostly bats, pigs and small mammals. But they mutate easily and can jump from animals to humans, and from one human to another. In recent years, they have become a growing player in infectious-disease outbreaks world-wide.
The mortality rate has differed by region, according to a report by an international mission of experts to China led by WHO. The mortality rate was 5.8% in the first several weeks in Wuhan, China, where the epidemic originated. But in other, less hard-hit areas of China, which had more time to prepare to care for patients, it was 0.7%. The rate in China has come down over time, the report said.
The World Health Organization and other experts report that a mask's efficacy in social settings is inconclusive. But some health experts and mask makers say that properly used, the N95 respirator mask can guard against the new coronavirus. 39.9”These traditional masks are less effective with small droplets, as they can travel farther and in unpredictable paths affected by wind and other gusts. The droplets can be inhaled around the sides of the masks.
Surgical masks don’t offer full protection against airborne viruses. They don’t fully seal off the nose and mouth.39.9”These traditional masks are less effective with small droplets, as they can travel farther and in unpredictable paths affected by wind and other gusts. The droplets can be inhaled around the sides of the masks.A coronavirus can also be transmitted by touching an object where airborne droplets have settled.
N95 masks offer more protection. But they only work if they fit properly, and aren’t suitable for children or people with facial hair.Research: Lindsay Huth and Taylor Umlauf Graphic: Alberto Cervantes/THE WALL STREET JOURNAL What is the incubation period? if { function loadCSS{function d{for;t?o.media=n||"all":setTimeout}var o=window.document.createElement,a=t||window.document.getElementsByTagName[0],i=window.document.styleSheets;return o.rel="stylesheet",o.href=e.trim,o.media="only x",a.parentNode.appendChild,d,o}window.loadCSS=loadCSS; } #g-_LANCET-box.ai2html_export { max-width: 700px; width:100%; margin: 0 auto; } .g-aiImg { margin-top: -1.2px; } .
Can you catch the virus from someone even before they have symptoms? Several studies have now shown that people who have no symptoms, early symptoms or mild symptoms can transmit the virus to others. Scientists say this type of transmission might be common, and a possible explanation for why the virus spreads so quickly. They are studying it further. The CDC advises people to maintain a safe distance—6 feet or more—from others if Covid-19 is spreading in their communities.
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