1. Please explain what are the symptoms of 2019 nCoV?
People who are infected with 2019 nCoV have developed mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms including fever, cough, shortness of breath, and potentially respiratory distress. There are many types of illnesses that can cause these types of respiratory symptoms. Individuals who have these symptoms and have had traveled to China in the last 14 days prior to symptom onset or have had close contact with someone with 2019 nCoV should be medically evaluated.
2. Explain me how can we help protect ourself?
CDC advises that people follow these tips to help prevent respiratory illnesses:
☛ Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
☛ Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
☛ Avoid close contact with people who are sick with respiratory symptoms.
☛ Stay home when you are sick.
☛ Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
☛ Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
3. Tell me should I be tested for 2019-nCoV?
If you develop a fever1 and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath, within 14 days after travel from China, you should call ahead to a healthcare professional and mention your recent travel or close contact. If you have had close contact2 with someone showing these symptoms who has recently traveled from this area, you should call ahead to a healthcare professional and mention your close contact and their recent travel. Your healthcare professional will work with your state's public health department and CDC to determine if you need to be tested for 2019-nCoV.
4. How is Coronavirus diagnosed?
Infection with 2019-nCoV is diagnosed by finding evidence of the virus in respiratory samples such as swabs from the throat or fluid from the lungs. Testing for 2019-nCoV is done in public health laboratories.
5. Do you know what are the symptoms of coronavirus?
Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome and kidney failure.
6. Please explain what is 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019 nCoV)?
2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a virus identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China. Chinese authorities identified the new coronavirus, which has resulted in hundreds of confirmed cases in China, including cases outside Wuhan, with additional cases being identified in a growing number of countries internationally.
7. Explain me what are the treatments for 2019 nCoV?
Currently, there are no specific treatments recommended for illnesses caused by 2019 nCoV. Medical care is supportive to help relieve symptoms.
8. Please explain is 2019-nCoV the same as the MERS-CoV or SARS virus?
No. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing illness in people and others that circulate among animals, including camels, cats and bats. The recently emerged 2019-nCoV is not the same as the coronavirus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) or the coronavirus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). However, genetic analyses suggest this virus emerged from a virus related to SARS.
9. Tell us what are the symptoms?
Most cases have had fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia with severe acute respiratory distress.
10. Explain me why does not the coronavirus have a less technical name yet, like Ebola or Zika?
The virus's temporary name, according to the World Health Organization, is 2019 nCoV. It's a combination of the year the virus first emerged and the abbreviation for "novel corona virus," a term indicating that the virus is a strain that has not been previously identified.
The virus is also referred to as "Wuhan corona virus," after the city where it first emerged.
Adalja anticipates that another name will emerge soon. "This is a very new virus, and the virology community is trying to come up with a name for it," he says. But naming a virus requires great care, because there can be negative repercussions, he adds.
11. Tell me who can help if I am worried about family or friends in China?
Many members of the London Business School community have family and friends in China, and we recognise that you will be worried about them. Until further notice, we strongly advise against travel to or from China, including family visits, and encourage you and your family and friends to follow FCO guidance.
12. Tell me are health authorities in the U.S. reacting fast enough?
The CDC very quickly devised a lab test to identify cases rapidly. Right now health departments around the country send samples to the CDC in Atlanta for analysis, but the CDC hopes to make its test available to labs nationwide in a week or two. That will make the response even faster. Health officials also have stepped up screening of passengers returning from China - these are now being conducted at 20 U.S. airports. And they are recommending against nonessential travel to China.
13. Tell us what if I don't have Medicare?
To support the NSW response to coronavirus, people will not be charged out of pocket expenses who are:
not eligible for Medicare, and
presenting to NSW Health facilities for coronavirus assessment
Most people that are not eligible for Medicare will have health or travel insurance. For those that do not have adequate insurance coverage, NSW Health will cover these costs.
14. Tell us does CDC recommend the use of facemask in the community to prevent 2019-nCoV?
No. CDC does not currently recommend the use of face masks among the general public. While limited person-to-person spread among close contacts has been detected, this virus is not currently spreading in the community in the United States.
15. Tell us is there a vaccine for Coronavirus?
Not yet. Currently, there is not a vaccine for 2019 nCoV.
16. Tell us still travel to China or other countries where 2019 nCoV cases have occurred?
CDC recommends avoiding non-essential travel to China.The current CDC travel notice advises travelers to China to follow standard precautions, such as hand washing, avoiding contact with people who are ill, and avoiding animals.
17. Please explain what should we do if we come into contact with a person with coronavirus?
If we have been identified as a contact of a person with confirmed coronavirus infection in Australia, the local public health unit will contact you with advice. This advice will include that you need to isolate yourself at home for 14 days after contact with the infected person, and to monitor your health and report any symptoms.
Person to person spread of coronaviruses generally occurs between people who are close contacts with one another. A close contact is someone who has been face to face for at least 15 minutes, or been in the same closed space for at least 2 hours, with a person that was infectious. Close contacts of people with confirmed coronavirus will be closely monitored by public health units for the development of any symptoms, and should call their public health unit to report any symptoms.
18. Suppose I am planning to visit China in a few months. Can I go?
We will continually update School policy as the situation evolves, and post updates here to keep you informed. Do also check official sources including WHO, Public Health England and FCO for the latest advice to help plan your travel.
19. Do you know 2019 nCoV the same as the SARS virus or MERS?
No. 2019 nCoV is not the same coronavirus that caused severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2012, but is similar in that it is causing respiratory illness.
20. Please explain what is a novel coronavirus?
A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), is not that same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold.
A diagnosis with coronavirus 229E, NL63, OC43, or HKU1 is not the same as a 2019-nCoV diagnosis. These are different viruses and patients with 2019-nCoV will be evaluated and cared for differently than patients with common coronavirus diagnosis.
21. Please explain how is the virus spread? Can we catch it?
Coronavirus experts think that it's likely that the novel coronavirus originated in an animal species, and then spread to humans.
Person to person spread of the novel coronavirus is occurring, but it is not yet understood how easily this happens.
Human coronavirus strains are spread from person to person through contaminated droplets from a person who is sick with the illness (through coughing or sneezing) or contaminated hands, and generally occurs between people who are close contacts with one another. It is likely this novel coronavirus spreads the same way.
22. Tell me what if I am studying in China?
If you are studying in China, follow advice from your local school and the Chinese government, and update yourself on WHO recommendations as well as the latest information from your embassy in China. The FCO currently advises British citizens in China who are able to leave, to do so; the British Consulates-General in Wuhan and Chongqing are currently closed. The WHO also recommends regularly checking advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre.
23. Tell us can the virus be transmitted during the incubation period?
There is preliminary evidence of a very small number of people who may have been infectious before their symptoms developed. More information about this new virus is needed in order to understand when a person becomes infectious.
24. Tell us what should healthcare providers, laboratories and health departments do?
Health care providers and laboratories should report suspect 2019 nCoV cases immediately (within 3 hours) to their local health department, who should report cases to IDPH within the same time frame.
25. Tell us is the virus being transmitted from one person to another?
The novel coronavirus (n-CoV) can be spread from person to person, most likely by coughing or contact with respiratory secretions of people infected with the virus.
There have been a small number of cases of transmission from person to person occurring outside of mainland China. All confirmed cases in NSW to 1 February 2020 were infected with the virus whilst overseas.
