On 31th December 2019, several cases of pneumonia caused by an unknown virus were reported in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. One week later, on 7th January 2020, Chinese authorities confirmed that they had identified a new virus, later called COVID-19, a type of coronavirus. Symptoms include fever, coughing and breathing difficulties. Cases of severe infection can result in pneumonia, kidney failure and, in some cases, death. Highly contagious, the coronavirus's rate of infection escalated sharply in mid-January. Its spread to other Chinese provinces was accelerated by the Chinese New Year migration, during which people all over China return to their hometowns for the celebrations, starting 25th January. Cases also started to be reported in other countries, carried by international travellers as they returned to Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific.

Coronavirus

The new virus, COVID-19, is a coronavirus (so-called because of its resemblance to the Sun and its corona, its shimmering outer atmosphere). Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause respiratory illnesses. These range from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Symptoms include fever, coughing and breathing difficulties. Cases of severe infection can result in pneumonia, kidney failure and, in a few cases, death.

The incubation period (the length of time from exposure to the virus the development of symptoms) is between two and 10 days; it is likely that the virus is contagious during this period. To prevent infection, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends regular hand washing, covering the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs, and avoiding close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.

Effects of the disease

As of 12th February, the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak has risen to 1115, with confirmed cases more than 45,000 (compared to just 291 on 20th January), of whom more than 8216 are in a critical condition. Infections have also spread to at least 27 other countries, with 175 cases reported so far on a cruise liner moored in Yokohama, Japan. Studies suggest that a larger number of people may have been already infected, but not yet detected: the number of actual infections is estimated to be 10 times higher than confirmed cases. The death rate of 2019-nCoV is so far around 2% (4.1% in Wuhan itself).

By 12th February it was being reported that new cases in Hubei province had fallen to their lowest in weeks. The number of new cases in China as a whole was 2015, the lowest daily rise since 30th January. With the overall death toll also falling, some Chinese government experts are forecasting that the epidemic could peak this month, although that view is not shared by many experts outside China.

Evacuations of hundreds of foreign nationals from Wuhan are now under way. The UK, Australia, South Korea, Singapore and New Zealand plan to quarantine all evacuees for two weeks to avoid the disease spreading. Australia says it will quarantine its evacuees on Christmas Island, a detention centre 2000 kilometres (1200 miles) from the mainland, while Singapore is setting up a quarantine facility on Pulau Ubin, an offshore island. Around 200 US citizens were flown out of Wuhan and are being isolated at a military base in California.

A growing number of countries are advising their citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to China. Several international airlines have stopped or scaled back their routes to China. The Chinese Football Association has announced the postponement of all games in the 2020 season. Many Chinese New Year events and tourist attractions have been closed throughout China.