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posted by Fnord666 on Monday January 20 2020, @04:59AM   Printer-friendly
from the difficulty-breathing dept.

China reports 3rd death, nearly 140 new cases of coronavirus:

China reported on Monday its third death from a mysterious new virus and nearly 140 fresh cases as the disease spread to other parts of the country, including Beijing, raising concerns about more infections as millions begin trips for the Lunar New Year.

Medical experts are still struggling to understand the new strain of coronavirus but its connection with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome has caused alarm. SARS originated in southern China in 2002 before spreading to Hong Kong and elsewhere in the world infecting thousands and leaving more than 800 people dead.

Coronaviruses usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, such as the common cold, but can also affect the lower-respiratory tract, causing pneumonia or bronchitis.

[...] In Wuhan, the city in central China where the new strain first emerged, 136 new cases were found over the weekend the local health commission said, without giving details about the person who died.

[...] A total of 201 people have now been diagnosed with the virus in China. In Wuhan, 170 people are still being treated in hospital, including nine in critical condition, the city health commission said.

Wuhan is a city of 11 million inhabitants that serves as a major transport hub, including during the annual Lunar New Year holiday when hundreds of millions of Chinese people travel across the country to visit family.


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 20 2020, @09:09AM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 20 2020, @09:09AM (#945728)

    suddenly having the kid at the institute kindergarten with other researcher's kids is no longer a good idea, since some of them are chinese and they do travel home from time to time. luckily I live in a country where I can trust the medical system. not sure how much the trust is reasonable in this context.

    • (Score: 2) by Bot on Monday January 20 2020, @11:55AM

      by Bot (3902) on Monday January 20 2020, @11:55AM (#945754) Journal

      It is really a bad place/time of the year combination for a new virus to pop up.

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      Account abandoned.
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 20 2020, @05:47PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 20 2020, @05:47PM (#945896)

      I was in New Zealand a few years ago during Chinese New Year. There wasn't *anything* from dorm room in a hostel to upscale hotel room available-- the visiting Chinese had booked *everything* (I stayed with my cousin). So, better watch out for those Kiwi kids too. And, Aussie kids. And, kids of folks like me who travel a lot.

      With the ease (for those from countries with "good" passports), speed, and low cost of international travel (for those with first world incomes), I doubt a self-imposed quarantine (avoidance) of ethnic Chinese and Chinese nationals is going to have much affect on your (and your kids') likelihood of exposure-- which is probably vanishingly small, regardless.

    • (Score: 4, Insightful) by RamiK on Monday January 20 2020, @06:36PM

      by RamiK (1813) on Monday January 20 2020, @06:36PM (#945910)

      Fearing one minority or the next over potential viral spread is just silly considering how international air ports and commercial and business flights operate packing people like sardines.

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      compiling...
  • (Score: 2) by mendax on Monday January 20 2020, @11:37PM

    by mendax (2840) on Monday January 20 2020, @11:37PM (#946068)

    I recently rewatched Contagion. A scary movie to watch when an unknown SARS-like bug is simmering in that genetic stew that is China.

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    It's really quite a simple choice: Life, Death, or Los Angeles.
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