By: Jhoemz Vercide |

At least 17 people have died and more than 500 suffered from a mysterious illness that started in China.

It was started from a pneumonia outbreak then and developed and attributed to a virus.

The new Chinese coronavirus is a cousin of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the deadly virus which also originated in China and infected thousands in 2003.

 Scientist Leo Poon, a virologist at the School of Public Health at The University of Hong Kong who first decoded the virus, thinks it likely started in an animal and spread to humans.

What is Coronavirus?

According to the World Health Organization, Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.  

What are the symptoms?

Based on the findings some common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

In more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death. 

How can we prevent it?

          Currently, there are no available vaccines to protect you against infection but the transmission can be reduced by:

• Washing your hands often with soap and water.
• Covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing.
• Thoroughly cooking meat and eggs.
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.

Awareness is truly the key. If you guys are traveling to China, be aware of symptoms and avoid live animal markets.

Be always in the know peeps and keep safe!