Where are we now in case of fatal Novel Coronavirus

As on today the 8th April 2020, millions of cases are confirmed in China and 24 other countries, of which, 75000+ have died. This has sparked an awesome response by the Chinese government placing quite 60 million people under orders of restricted movement, mandated wearing of masks publicly (at the threat of arrest), and increase of their healthcare capacity by, for instance, construction of a 1200-bed hospital in only 10 days. The epidemic rages on with a mean of 2000 new cases reported daily.

Globally, on the 30th January 2020, the planet Health Organization (WHO) of the United Nations declared the epidemic a public health emergency of international concern. This defines the outbreak an “extraordinary event which is decided to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease and to potentially require a coordinated international response”. Several countries and airlines immediately suspended travel from affected areas, closed some borders with China, and initiated comprehensive preventative screening at airports.
Early on, the Chinese authorities revealed that the outbreak was caused by a completely unique beta-coronavirus, named 2019-nCoV. This was soon found to be significantly genetically associated with SARS-CoV and other bat coronaviruses. The initial cases were related to a seafood market in Wuhan where live animals were sold. This suggested a possible animal reservoir for this virus and suggested zoonotic (animal to human) transmission. Later on, environmental samples obtained from this market were found to be positive for 2019-nCoV, strengthening the hypothesis that this is often a zoonotic virus. However, whilst the virus was found to possess originally started among infected animals, most of the subsequently reported cases were shown to be caused by human-to-human transmission.

Beta-coronaviruses have caused major epidemics within the last 2 decades. In 2003, SARS-CoV was discovered in China before being spread globally, infecting 8,098 people and killing 774. This was later found to be zoonotic in origin and thought to possess started amongst a bat reservoir before later infecting wild civet cats and raccoon dogs that were being sold at live wild animal markets destined for human consumption. In 2012, MERS-CoV was discovered in Saudi Arabia before also spreading globally leading to 2506 confirmed cases and killing 862 people worldwide. Again, this started as a zoonotic virus, shown to manoeuvre from camels to humans and again thought to possess initially emerged from bats
Responding to such epidemics requires not only immense public health and medical response but also an immense research response. Important scientific questions got to be answered swiftly so as to tell policymakers on where to direct their response capacities and what to expect. Epidemiologically, the transmission rate of the virus must be calculated so as to model the number of cases to be expected. The modes of transmission got to be described in order that proper prevention actions are taken. The cases got to be characterized in order that the foremost severe and presumably to die patients are taken care of first. Laboratory researchers would wish a replica of the virus so as to review its transmission and pathogenicity and work towards finding a vaccine or a cure. Importantly, the animal reservoir through which humans become infected must be identified so as to interrupt the initial transmission cycle..