By Jacob Key '20
The Coronavirus, or COVID-19, the name coined by the CDC, is a disease that first spread in the city of Wuhan, China. The virus’s origin is controversial, but officials note that the infection might have been caused by bats carrying the disease, who were eaten by snakes, which then subsequently infected the snakes through consumption. These snakes were then sold at wet markets, which affected other animals within those markets. There are still maybes, and what-if’s concerning the true cause. The Coronavirus is now a global pandemic with 213 countries affected by the virus--there have been over 200,000 confirmed deaths worldwide.
Although the Coronavirus has become a global pandemic, rumors have suggested that China covered up the fast-spreading virus for weeks. The Coronavirus first emerged in China in December of 2019. However, the World Health Organization didn’t declare the Coronavirus a public health emergency until January 30th of 2020.
While speculation of where the virus originated from indicates animals, specifically bats from Wuhan, China. The Coronavirus is in-different towards animals. While many humans can be infected and own pets, their pets won’t contract the virus. In an article about the education and prevention of the Coronavirus, it stated: “Rarely, an animal coronavirus can infect humans.”
The Coronavirus is highly contagious and passed from individual to individual. Symptoms include cough, fever, and shortness of breath. Within fourteen days, symptoms begin to appear in people exposed to the virus. Contradictory to the flu and an important reason why so many people are filled with panic is, in severe cases of Coronavirus, it can result in respiratory difficulty, kidney failure, and eventually death. The Coronavirus has many different strains.
A world free of Covid-19 requires a massive collective effort. Apart from essential workers, people are instructed to stay home until the curve is flattened.
For more information on the virus, visit
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