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  • -It started with a few cases of what seemed like pneumonia,

  • but Chinese officials quickly realized

  • it was a new kind of virus.

  • One that could cause infections in animals and humans.

  • -This new coronavirus

  • was initially traced to live animals.

  • -The Chinese confirming that it is now spreading

  • from human to human.

  • -By mid January, less than a month

  • after it had emerged in Wuhan, China,

  • at least 17 people have died,

  • hundreds have been infected across Eastern Asia,

  • and one case was confirmed in the US.

  • -Most people are actually stressed

  • because their flights have been canceled.

  • -But why has the coronavirus, a type of respiratory virus,

  • causing global concern?

  • -A respiratory virus is what infectious disease

  • experts fear the most because you cough, you sneeze,

  • you're in the same airspace and it can spread very quickly.

  • -Just like the measles outbreak in 2019.

  • -That's why measles is the most contagious disease on earth

  • because those droplets can hang in the air for two hours

  • and if you haven't been vaccinated

  • and you walk through in two hours,

  • 90 percent chance that you will get sick.

  • -It's unclear how easily the new virus spreads.

  • And lack of information only adds to the confusion.

  • There is, however, actual concerns that this outbreak

  • will be similar to the SARS epidemic in 2002,

  • where the virus spread from China

  • to more than a dozen countries.

  • That time, over 8,000 people were infected

  • and more than 700 people died.

  • But why are pandemics, like this one, Zika,

  • and Ebola continuing to emerge in the same parts of the world?

  • -Emerging diseases come from specific regions on the planet.

  • We call them the hot spots for emerging disease.

  • Places like Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central West Africa,

  • and Latin America,

  • these are areas where there are a lot of wildlife,

  • a lot of diversity.

  • When humans come into contact with those wildlife species,

  • we have a chance at picking up the viruses.

  • -Since the SARS epidemic, many countries,

  • including the US, have implemented multiple plans

  • to stop the spread of these type of viruses.

  • -I think health officials think that we are much better

  • prepared now, especially after Ebola.

  • Chinese scientists were able to sequence

  • the genome of this virus very quickly,

  • post it online, for people to see,

  • and when that's shared, that information,

  • scientists can work very hard to figure out diagnostics.

  • -Chinese authorities have shutdown rail and bus lines,

  • canceled hundreds of flights,

  • and cut off highways from the epicenter of the outbreak.

  • And to protect against infection from this and other viruses,

  • the CDC recommends basic hygiene techniques.

  • Like constantly washing hands, staying hydrated,

  • and coughing into one's arm or a tissue.

-It started with a few cases of what seemed like pneumonia,

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