Killer Virus From China Claims 42 Victims And Is Now Spreading After 1 victim Dies In Thailand

The Chinese are gripped by the fear that a mysterious virus, which claimed the life of one and infected dozens, will spread like wildfire in the time to come.

While a detailed examination is underway; researchers suggest that the virus is a type of coronavirus. The first identified case in Thailand evoked panic upon the realization that the virus could spread. Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, acting head of WHO's emerging diseases unit, had recently stated that ways to go about infection control would be made available in hospitals world over. “This is something on our radar, it is possible, we need to prepare ourselves,” said Kerkhove.

Not too long ago, The WHO China Country Office was intimated about the steep rise in cases of pneumonia in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. Around 44 suspected cases owing to an unknown virus were reported in the month of December. It has also been stated that a seafood market met with an abrupt closure owing to the urgent need for environmental sanitation and disinfection after being closely linked with the patients.

On the other hand, further investigations have zeroed in on the observation that this respiratory disease is a new type of coronavirus, which could lead to common cold-like symptoms including a runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat and a fever.

Officials at Wuhan Municipal Health Commission reported the outbreak's first death on January 9, when a 61-year-old man breathed his last after contracting the virus.

The WHO has elucidated that while the cases at present have been restricted to small clusters among family members, there is a great potential for a larger spread. The news of a Chinese woman being quarantined in Thailand with the coronavirus, sparked concerns as authorities revealed on Monday, the first time it has been detected outside China. Fortunately, quick medical intervention assured her safe return on Wednesday in a stable condition.

The news of the mysterious virus came just a couple of days before a flux of Chinese tourists traveled to Thailand to usher in the Lunar New Year on January 25.

The WHO has maintained that there to be some “limited” human-to-human transmission of the virus. This reveal comes just two days after the UN agency declared that there was “no clear evidence of human to human transmission”.