Programs that attempt to control the occurrence and spread of the virus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in 2019 that causes the respiratory illness COVID-19, which probably originally emerged from an animal source but has spread from person-to-person in many locales as well as to other countries around the world and has been identified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing illness in people and others that circulate among animals, including camels, cats and bats. SARS, another coronavirus that emerged to infect people, came from civet cats, while MERS (the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), another coronavirus that emerged to infect people, came from camels. Symptoms of the current infection include mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough and difficulty breathing. Those most at risk from the virus are older adults and people with preexisting health conditions. Coronaviruses are generally thought to be spread most often by respiratory droplets. There is no evidence of transmission of the virus associated with imported goods. Strategies for controlling the spread of the virus include testing individuals who have had contact with people with active cases, tracing people who have had contact with people who have tested positively or have contracted the virus, quarantining individuals who have the illness and, in areas that have experienced community transmission, asking residents to engage in social distancing (avoiding large parties, sporting events and other venues where large crowds typically gather). Local authorities may ask that special events like conferences, festivals and concerts be cancelled or rescheduled or may ban large gatherings altogether, for example having sports events take place without on-site spectators.
Taxonomy Code: JP-1500.1700-150
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