On January 30th, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global health emergency over a new coronavirus that has killed more than 1,300 people following an outbreak in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

Nearly 60,000 cases have been reported across mainland China, most of them in China's Hubei province.  In India, 3 cases of coronavirus have been reported and over 300 students who were evacuated from Wuhan early this month remain quarantined. The novel coronavirus, identified by Chinese authorities on January 7 and since named COVID-19, is a new strain that had not been previously identified in humans. Little is known about it, although human-to-human transmission has been confirmed.

According to the WHO, signs of infection include fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, it can lead to pneumonia, kidney failure and even death.

To know more about coronavirus & what the world is bracing for a fight against, Padma Priya, editor, Suno India reached out to Dr G Arun Kumar, Director, Manipal Institute of Virology.

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