Over the past month, the news has been flooded with stories of the coronavirus and how it’s affecting China and its citizens. 

This illness initially outbroke in Wuhan, China, but the disease has only continued to spread.

of this month, there have been over 75,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. Around 12,000 of these cases are in critical condition. About 13,000 citizens have currently survived and recovered.

Currently, the Coronavirus has killed over 2,000 people.

Symptoms of this virus include a runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat, fever and a general feeling of being unwell. These indicators mirror that of the flu.

This disease is spread quickly from person-to-person contact. According to the CDC, “…spread is thought to occur mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.”

This is similar to the spread of the flu and other viral illnesses.

Though a majority of the deaths have occured in China, countries all over the world have reported cases of this illness.

Due to the contagious nature of this virus, it’s important to take precautions. The main way to prevent catching this illness is to avoid people who are sick.  Additionally, according to the CDC, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Recently, there was an outbreak on the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was traveling off the coast of Japan. The passengers were forced into quarantine.

According to the NBC, around 600 of the 3,700 passengers tested positively for the Coronavirus. Among the ill is Jeanie Hopland, a woman from East Tenn.

Hopland was sent to Tokyo for treatment, but her husband chose to stay on the cruise ship and stay in the quarantine. The Hoplands are hoping to head home to the United States by the end of March.

While the Coronavirus continues to spread, China and other countries are taking preventative measures. For instance, China has instituted a level 4 travel ban. 

People in all countries should take measures to avoid getting sick. By washing your hands, avoiding people with illnesses and getting enough sleep, people will be more likely to avoid the Coronavirus, the flu and all other viral illnesses.