In this week's coverage of the coronavirus epidemic, the TWiV team discusses the fatality rate, China's initial reaction to the outbreak, conspiracy theories, how long the virus remains infectious on surfaces, and evidence for virus in the intestinal tract.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Brianne

Download TWiV 586 (72 MB .mp3, 119 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

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Links for this episode

• China reacted too slowly to epidemic (NY Times)
• Wuhan rounds up infected (NY Times)
• 2019-nCoV asymptomatic transmission report flawed (Science)
• Mucus reduces effectiveness of alcohol gels (mSphere)
• SARS-CoV in feces (NEJM, Gastroenterology)
• Inadequate plumbing and spread of SARS-CoV (WHO)
• Persistence of virus on surfaces (one, two, three, four)
• Letters read on TWiV 586
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Science Picks

Brianne - Mutation, Adaptation, and Virus Genomes Alan - The Comet Rich - Finding Your Roots: Science Pioneers Dickson - Let's Fill Our Cities With Taller, Wooden Buildings Vincent - Twenty-first century plague by Thomas Abraham

Listener Pick

Mark - Tracking CoV infections Sophia - Legislative approaches to immunization

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees.

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]