Deadly virus kills 17: Experts warn more lives are at risk

At least 17 people have died in China and more than 540 have been infected as a new strain of coronavirus continues to spread throughout Asia and across the world.

The outbreak of the previously unknown coronavirus originated in a seafood market in the city of Wuhan and has so far spread to five other countries: Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the US.

The epidemic has sparked alarm across the world because the virus belongs to the same family as the deadly MERS (Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome) virus and SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus, which infected more than 8,000 people and killed 774 when it ripped through Asia in 2002 and 2003.

Here’s what you need to know and whether you’re at risk of infection.

What is a coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that typically affect the respiratory tract. They can cause a range of illnesses, from the common cold to more serious diseases like SARS and MERS.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of coronaviruses range from coughing, fever and headaches, to more serious complications like breathing difficulties which may develop into pneumonia.

Other common symptoms include:

• Sore throat
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Muscle pain

How is it spread?

While it was initially believed that the new virus was primarily passed from animals to humans, scientists now think it is being transmitted from human-to-human.

“Additional investigations are needed to determine how the patients were infected, the extent of human-to-human transmission, the clinical spectrum of disease, and the geographic range of infection,” the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a statement on Tuesday.

Is Australia at risk?

On January 22, the ABC reported a Brisbane man who had recently returned from China and was being tested for Wuhan coronavirus had been cleared of having the illness. No other cases have been confirmed in Australia.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon that while the current risk level is low, precautions are being taken to protect Australians

 “We will be raising the level of our travel advice for Wuhan City to level 2 — exercise a high degree of caution,” Morrison warned. “I urge all Australians travelling to check the DFAT Smartraveller website for specific updates.”

According to the government’s Smartraveller website, Australians have been told to reconsider travelling to Wuhan.

“We now advise all Australians to reconsider their need to travel to Wuhan,” a statement on their website read. “The Chinese authorities have put new measures in place to contain the spread of the coronavirus. This includes wearing masks in public places and avoiding travel in and out of Wuhan.”

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.