Coronavirus in China
2019–20 Wuhan coronavirus outbreak
A new coronavirus, designated 2019-nCoV, was identified in Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei province, after 41 people developed pneumonia without a clear cause in early December 2019. The virus has shown evidence of human-to-human transmission, with the number of cases climbing into the thousands by late January 2020 and several countries across Europe, North America and especially the Asia-Pacific reporting cases. Its incubation period (time from exposure to onset of symptoms) ranges from 2 to 14 days, but there is evidence that it may be contagious during this period and possibly also for several days after recovery. Symptoms include fever, coughing and breathing difficulties, and it can be fatal.
As of 4 February 2020, approximately 20,630 cases have been confirmed, including in every province-level division of China. The first confirmed death occurred on 9 January and since then, as of 4 February 2020, 427 deaths have been confirmed. A larger number of people may have been infected, but not detected (especially mild cases). The first local transmission of the virus outside China occurred in Vietnam between family members, with the first local transmission not involving family occurred in Germany, on 22 January, when a German man contracted the disease from a Chinese business visitor at a meeting. The first death outside China was reported in the Philippines, in a 44-year-old Chinese male on 1 February. Many New Year events and tourist attractions have been closed to prevent mass gatherings, including the Forbidden City in Beijing and traditional temple fairs.[23] Hong Kong also raised its infectious disease response level to the highest level and declared an emergency, closing its schools until March and cancelling its New Year celebrations.
A number of countries have issued warnings against travel to Wuhan and Hubei. Travelers who have visited Mainland China have been asked to monitor their health for at least two weeks and contact their healthcare provider to report any symptoms of the virus.Anyone who suspects that they are carrying the virus is advised to wear a protective mask and seek medical advice by calling a doctor rather than directly visiting a clinic in person. The travel sector has been providing refunds and no-fee cancellations for reservations in China or by people from China. Airports and train stations have implemented temperature checks, health declarations and information signage in an attempt to identify carriers of the virus.
The outbreak has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO), explaining that its decision was based on the possible effects that the pathogen could have if it spreads to countries with weaker healthcare infrastructures. The declaration makes it the sixth time that the measure has been invoked since the H1N1 pandemic in 2009. Xenophobia and racism against people of Chinese and East Asian descent have been noted to be on the rise due to the outbreak, fuelling fear and hostility across various countries. Misinformation spread primarily online about the coronavirus has led the WHO to declare an “infodemic” on 2 February.
