UofSC public health researcher discusses deadly Wuhan coronavirus

Hundreds of cases of the Wuhan coronavirus have been confirmed in several countries, including one case in the United States.

Columbia, S.C. (WOLO) — Hundreds of cases of the Wuhan coronavirus have been confirmed in several countries, including one case in the United States.

The virus that originated in China is now proving to be deadly.

“We’ve seen over 600 cases now, and 17 deaths,” said Melissa Nolan, an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the University of South Carolina.

Health officials know that it comes from an animal at a market in Wuhan, but they don’t know the exact source.

“There’s a study that came out overnight suggesting that it might be snakes, and so I think the next steps are going to be for us to pinpoint and confirm that it is that particular type of snake,” said Nolan.

Although there’s been only one confirmed case of coronavirus in Washington state, experts are taking all precautions to prevent an outbreak in the U.S. The coronavirus spreads very quickly, and has symptoms similar to the flu.

“So this is an airborne virus, and it’s a little scary because this is flu season. So it could be hard to know if it’s flu or if it might be this coronavirus. But really the risk overall in the U.S. is considered to be low,” said Nolan.

Some passengers at major airports, like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, are being screened for the virus upon their arrival.

“So for passengers coming off of flights from China, they’re going to be screened. Asked if they have any symptoms, if they have any fever, if they do have any of that they’ll have an additional health screen. And then potentially could be quarantined if they’re thought to be at risk,” said Nolan.

There are still many unknowns with the virus, and so far, there’s no known treatment or vaccine.

“We don’t know the incubation period, so for someone that’s been exposed, we don’t know how long we need to monitor them to see if they do develop symptoms or not,” said Nolan.

On Thursday, the World Health Organization announced that although the coronavirus is an emergency in China, it is not yet a global health emergency. But the organization is still taking the virus very seriously, as it may become an international concern.

If you’ve recently traveled to China and have flu-like symptoms, you may want to visit your doctor.