In The News

Coronavirus Roils Global Stock Markets: CNBC

Elliot Smith January 28, 2020
The rapid spread of a new coronavirus has alarmed investors, contributing to a decline in stock markets worldwide. China reports more than 2,800 cases with more than 100 deaths. For now, analysts anticipate a short-term hit for China’s economy, but much depends on how fast public health officials can contain the epidemic. “Danske Bank analysts projected that the Chinese service sector is likely...

Lockdown on Coronavirus: South China Morning Post

January 23, 2020
China has taken the unprecedented step of quarantining Wuhan, a city of 11 million, to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus. The virus has infected more than 500, killed 17 people and spread to at least six nations since the start of the year. Public health officials connect foreign cases to travel and time spent in Wuhan. Wuhan's public transportation is closed. “Local residents rushed...

Human-to-Human Spread of Coronavirus: NBC News

Eric Baculinao, Dawn Liu, Yuliya Talmazan and Janis Mackey Frayer January 21, 2020
Chinese health officials have identified about 300 cases of the new coronavirus, with dozens of other cases waiting for verification. About 95 percent of the cases are linked to the Wuhan area. Still, authorities around the globe have increased screenings at airports and other travel hubs to prevent rapid spread, similar to SARS in 2003. China’s government has also confirmed human-to-human...

China’s New Coronavirus: Wall Street Journal

Natasha Khan January 15, 2020
Researchers identified a new strain of coronavirus in central China. However, it’s not clear that this new strain is the cause of 59 people sickened, with seven in critical condition. No deaths have been reported yet. Although the new strain is a coronavirus, which also includes deadly SARS and MERS, local health officials report no transmissions yet among humans. The assumption is that those...

Genetic Sequence of New Virus in China: STAT

Helen Branswell January 10, 2020
Global health officials monitor reports of a new lung disease infecting about 60 people near Wuhan, China, a city of 11 million people. Researchers suspect that an animal species transmitted the virus, and researchers in China “generated a full genetic sequence… a key step in efforts to learn more about the cause of an outbreak of unusual pneumonia,” reports Helen Branswell for STAT News. “The...

With New Clue to How SARS Kills, Scientists Work on Treatment

Elisabeth Rosenthal July 15, 2005
In 2003, the SARS virus killed almost 800 people and reminded the world of our vulnerability to epidemic disease. Two years later, scientists may have learned why the virus is so deadly. A team of scientists from Europe and Asia seem to have discovered how SARS fills the lungs with fluid, initiating acute respiratory distress syndrome. Their findings could lead to a new treatment that would...

SARS Threatens Reappearance in China

Helen Pearson April 23, 2004
The World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that a nurse in Beijing has tested positive for the SARS coronavirus in initial tests. Five of the 171 people with whom she had contact prior to showing symptoms have developed fevers, a strong indicator of SARS infection. In order to prevent another international epidemic, researchers must now examine the present strains to determine its mode of...