Your most pressing questions about the new coronavirus, answered
Scientists are racing to unravel the mysteries of a new coronavirus that has infected thousands and sparked global concern — triggering many questions from researchers and the public alike. In this rapidly evolving epidemic, many unknowns remain. Here’s what we know so far about the new virus, called 2019 novel coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV. We will update these answers as more information becomes available. Do you have questions about the new coronavirus that you’d like answered? E-mail them to feedback@sciencenews.org. What is 2019-nCoV? Coronaviruses are one of a variety of viruses that typically cause colds. But three members of the viral family have caused deadly outbreaks. Severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, and now 2019-nCoV cause more severe disease, including pneumonia. This new coronavirus first emerged in Wuhan, China (SN: 1/10/20). When did the outbreak start? Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization of a pneumonia-like disease with an unknown cause in 44 patients on December 31, 2019. Initial...