The Novel Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, or SARS-CoV-2, which stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus 2. The virus is spread via close contact to others, in the form of microdroplets from a cough or sneeze being either inhaled or getting anywhere near the mouth or eyes. Coronavirus is highly contagious, with a total number of confirmed cases rising daily. As of today, May 16th, 2020, there are 4.6 Million confirmed cases of Coronavirus across the world. Because Coronavirus is a novel virus, not a lot is known about its origins. It was isolated to 3 individual humans in Wuhan, China in late 2019. These people had pneumonia, which made them more susceptible to contracting Coronavirus. As of right now, there are no confirmed vaccines or treatments for the Novel Coronavirus.
Preventative measures for the Coronavirus are very similar to those presented during the Flu pandemic of 1968, in that people must wear masks when they are in public to avoid transmitting the virus to others. People must also stand six feet apart from one another to maintain social distancing rules. This is because the droplets that could potentially come from a sick person's mouth won't likely make it the 6 feet. In many countries, including the U.S., there have been quarantine restrictions placed on many businesses and schools. Large congregations of people are discouraged from being close to one another to mitigate the spread of the virus. A common phrase for the COVID-19 pandemic is: "Flatten the curve!", which refers to decreasing the slope of the graph of new cases of Coronavirus. Common symptoms are: fever, and a dry cough. Less common symptoms are: loss of smell, fatigue, shortness of breath, headaches, vomiting, chills, and coughing up blood.
All statistics as of May 16th at 6:31PM.