Novel Coronavirus: At least 26 dead in China; here's everything you need to know about symptoms, risks, precautions

A new strain of virus has managed to take the world by storm - the Novel Coronavirus (n-CoV). As many as 26 cases of death have been reported in China, from where the virus is believed to have spread - more specifically, from a seafood market in central Wuhan city. At least 830 other cases of the outbreak have been reported, even as far as the United States.

The concerns are aggravated especially considering the fact that millions of people have travelled to China in this time of the year for the Lunar New Year celebrations, exacerbating the risk to several degrees as the virus can now potentially travel to anywhere in the world, being transmitted by people from all walks of life across various regions.

Amid these concerns, the medical community of the entire world remains on high alert, monitoring subjects and consulting their medicinal know-how to come up with a cure as soon as possible.

Here is everything you need to know about this virus. 

What is coronavirus?

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), coronaviruses are a family of viruses that affect mammals and birds, causing a variety of diseases that range from diarrhea in cows and pigs, upper respiratory diseases in chickens, to a host of respiratory infections in humans.

These infections, in turn, can range from mild - such as the common cold - to more severe and potentially lethal, such as those caused earlier by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). What this Novel Coronavirus (n-CoV) will cause remains to be seen, but the symptoms are listed later in the article.

The name "coronavirus" is derived from the Latin corona and the Greek κορώνη (korṓnē, "garland, wreath"), meaning crown or halo. This is because, under an electron microscope, the virus appears as if a royal crown or a solar corona.

How deadly/lethal is it?

To answer this would prove tricky. Some experts have said that the Novel Coronavirus (n-CoV) might not prove as deadly as some previous manifestations of the coronavirus, such as the SARS-CoV or the MERS-CoV, but there is nothing definitive to come to a conclusion as such.

For context, the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) had killed nearly 800 people worldwide during a 2002-03 outbreak, also originating from China. The MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV) did not spread as much (keeping itself largely limited to the Middle-East) but proved far more deadly, killing one-third of those infected.

Now, the Novel Coronavirus can range anywhere between mild infectious to as deadly as its predecessors or even a potential epidemic. Only time can tell.

Can it be transmitted?

Yes, the coronavirus can be transmitted. Human-to-human transmission of the n-CoV has been confirmed in China. Besides, its two earlier manifestations - the SARS and the MERS - were believed to have been transmitted by animals. SARS, for instance, was believed to have been transmitted from civet cats to humans while MERS travelled to humans from a type of camel.

What are the symptoms?

People with the Novel Coronavirus infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of -- fever, cough, shortness of breath.

In more severe cases, it can lead to pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the symptoms may appear in as few as two days or even as long as 14 days after exposure.

Where have the cases been reported?

As of January 24, Chinese officials have confirmed that the Novel Coronavirus has caused as many as 26 deaths in the Hubei Province, of which Wuhan is the capital. It is being said that the virus first spread from a seafood market in this city. Most of the other 830 reported cases of the n-CoV outbreak in China are in this city, too.

Apart from China, four cases have also been reported in Thailand. Three cases have been reported in Singapore, two in Japan, and one each in South Korea and in Taiwan. What is most concerning, however, is that one case has been reported as far as the United States, indicating that the n-CoV has already somehow travelled across the seas.

All the cases involve people who had either come from Wuhan or been there recently.

How to protect yourself?

Very little is known about the n-CoV as of now, but here is a general guideline that you can follow to keep yourself safe:

* Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
* Avoid close contact with people who are sick

Is there any treatment?

Though there are no specific treatments for illnesses caused by the coronavirus, most people will recover on their own. However, those infected can take certain steps to relieve your symptoms --take pain and fever medications, use a room humidifier or take a hot shower to help ease a sore throat and cough, drink plenty of liquids, stay home and rest.