With tens of thousands of cases, hundreds of deaths, and no known cure, the new coronavirus that emerged in China has been declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization.

In this episode of “How Do We Fix It?” we look at the world’s response to the rapid spread of the 2019-nCoV virus, consider the best ways to deal with the outbreak, and hear the latest about scientific research into a new vaccine.

Infectious diseases epidemiologist Kylie Carville with The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne, Australia, is our guest. She is on the front lines of Australia’s public health response to the virus.

“I think we need to be alert, not alarmed in Australia and The United States," Kylie tells us in this exclusive interview. “Every time something happens, we learn and are better prepared for the next time.” 

“We will have to wait and see” if it becomes a global pandemic, she says. “We are seeing some degree of transmission outside of China, but at this point, the cases are all linked to someone who has come back and been ill.”

Recommendations: Richard, now traveling in Australia, has been reading "A Shorter History of Australia" by Geoffrey Blainey, and "The Fatal Shore", by Robert Hughes.

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