Coronavirus: Numbers and definitions
Credit to Author: Kevin Griffin| Date: Sun, 02 Feb 2020 22:10:52 +0000
The World Health Organization (WHO) continues to counter myths and rumours about the new coronavirus.
In Canada, four cases have been confirmed; in B.C., one.
• Cases, China: 14,411 (2,590 new).
• Deaths: 304 (45 new).
• Hubei province (Wuhan is the capital): 9,074.
• Cases, outside of China: 146 (14 new).
• Deaths: First reported outside of China in the Philippines. The fatality was a close contact of the country’s first patient.
• Cases, Canada: four.
• B.C.: one.
For comparison, between three and five million people worldwide develop severe cases of influenza every year and between 290,000 and 650,000 die. In Canada, the flu annually sends about 12,200 people to hospital and causes 3,500 deaths. Those at highest risk of death from the flu include pregnant women, children under 59 months of age and the elderly.
The coronavirus gets its name from the way it looks: It has a core of genetic material covered by an envelope with protein spikes that resemble a crown. In Latin, a crown is a corona. It’s called a novel coronavirus because it’s new and hasn’t been detected in people before. It’s often shortened to 2019-nCoV.
The outbreak has been accompanied by what’s being called an ‘infodemic’ of accurate and inaccurate information. False-prevention measures or cures, for example, are being countered by evidence-based information from the WHO, which include the organization’s Myth Busters, and by public health officials around the world.
In B.C., anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are displaying symptoms of, the coronavirus should contact their primary-care-provider, local public health office or call 811.
The Public Health Agency of Canada coronavirus information line is 1-833-784-4397.
— Sources include WHO Situation Report 13 issued at 10 a.m., Feb. 2 in Geneva.