Health

Coronavirus infections surge in Italy, South Korea as virus kills at least 8 in Iran

The number of novel coronavirus cases in Italy and South Korea leaped upward on Sunday, spurring authorities to take new steps in an effort to fight a soaring viral outbreak now blamed for at least eight deaths in Iran.

Italian authorities announced they were shutting down carnival events in Venice as at least 133 people have been reported to have been infected with COVID-19 in the country. Nearly all of Italy’s cases are clustered in the north, including in the northeast Veneto region, which includes Venice.

The dozens of newly confirmed cases have caused all schools and universities to be closed not only in Milan, but in the entire region of Lombardy, for an indefinite period of time as movie theaters, concerts and public gatherings have also been banned.

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Italy’s first cases — that of a married Chinese couple who were on vacation in Rome — surfaced in early February. To date, two deaths have been reported in the country while 27 are reported to be in intensive care as of Sunday, officials told Fox News.

People wearing sanitary masks walk past the Duomo gothic cathedral in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020.
(AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Italian health officials have said they have not found the “ground zero” patient who may be behind the outbreak in the northern part of the country. A man who had traveled to China and was thought to have sickened another 38-year-old man in the northern part of the country has tested negative, health officials said.

Among the “extraordinary measures” announced by Italian officials include effectively quarantining about a dozen towns in the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto, where some 50,000 people live, according to the BBC.

“The contagiousness of this virus is very strong and pretty virulent,” Lombardy’s health chief Giulio Gallera said Sunday.

Bishops in several dioceses in northern Italy issued directives Sunday that holy water fonts be kept empty, that communion wafers be placed in the hands of the faithful and not directly into their mouths by priests celebrating Mass and that congregants refrain from shaking hands or exchanging kisses during the symbolic Sign of the Peace ritual, according to the Associated Press.

In this file photo taken on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020, Ambulance cars are parked while medics check passengers where a passenger was identified with suspected coronavirus after arriving from Kyiv at Kievsky rail station in Moscow, Russia.
(Denis Voronin, Moscow News Agency photo via AP)

Archbishop Rino Fisichella, a Vatican official whose siblings live in one of the hardest-hit towns, Codogno, declined to dramatize the measures.

“It’s obvious that we need to use all necessary prudence” to avoid spreading the virus among the faithful, he said.

SACRAMENTO CONFIRMS FIRST CORONAVIRUS CASE IN PATIENT WHO TRAVELED TO CHINA

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Sunday that he was putting his country on its highest alert for infectious diseases and ordered officials to take “unprecedented, powerful” steps to fight the soaring viral outbreak that has infected more than 600 people in the country in the past few days.

Moon said his government had decided to increase its anti-virus alert level by one notch to “Red,” the highest level that allows authorities to order the temporary closure of schools and reduce the operation of public transportation and flights to and from South Korea.

The South Korean leader said that the outbreak “has reached a crucial watershed,” and that the next few days will be “critical.”

Workers wearing protective gear spray disinfectant as a precaution against the COVID-19 coronavirus in a local market in Daegu, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020.
(Im Hwa-young/Yonhap via AP)

South Korea announced 169 more cases of the new virus, bringing the country’s total to 602. The country also reported three more fatalities, raising its death toll to six.

Ambulances carrying patients infected with the novel coronavirus arrive at a hospital in Daegu, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020.
(Lim Hwa-young/Yonhap via AP)

While the number of patients worldwide is increasing, some virus clusters have shown no link to China and experts are struggling to trace where those clusters started. The World Health Organization said Saturday that at least 18 confirmed cases have been reported in Iran.

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Iran’s health ministry said Sunday that at least eight people have died in that country’s outbreak, which was first reported on Wednesday and centered mostly on the city of Qom.

Iran’s health ministry raised Sunday the death toll from the new virus to 8 people in the country, amid concerns that clusters there, as well as in Italy and South Korea, could signal a serious new stage in its global spread.
(AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

While WHO has not yet said where the Iran cases may have originated, the country’s health minister, Saeed Namaki, told state TV that officials were nearly certain the virus came from China to Qom in central Iran. Among those who’ve died from the virus was a merchant who regularly shuttled between the two countries using indirect flights in recent weeks, after Iran stopped direct passenger flights to China, according to Namaki.

He did not say when the merchant had returned from China to Iran nor what steps health officials had taken to quarantine and check on those he’d come into contact with.

Health officials said they would help make face-masks and sanitizers available for Iranians, amid concerns that inventory was running low in the capital’s pharmacies.

A poster detailing precautions to take against the coronavirus is seen at a bus station in Goyang, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020.
(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Iranians also went to the polls on Friday for nationwide parliamentary elections, with many voters wearing masks and stocking up on hand sanitizer. Iran’s interior ministry on Sunday said voter turnout in last week’s parliamentary elections stood at 42.57 percent, the lowest ever since the country’s 1979 revolution that ushered in a Shiite clerical government to power.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed that Iran’s enemies tried to discourage people from voting by exaggerating the threat of the virus, according to Reuters.

“This negative propaganda about the virus began a couple of months ago and grew larger ahead of the election,” said Khamenei, according to his official website Khamenei.ir. “Their media did not miss the tiniest opportunity for dissuading Iranian voters and resorting to the excuse of disease and the virus.”

Fox News’ Courtney Walsh in Rome and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: What causes the condition and when to seek help

Kristin Chenoweth opens up about life with chronic pain

Actress Kristin Chenoweth is known for her big, strong voice, but in 2012 a set accident left the Broadway star in debilitating pain. To help break the stigma surrounding chronic pain, Chenoweth is breaking her silence. The Tony and Emmy award winner sat down with Fox News to talk about the condition that left her feeling ‘shameful’ and how others can overcome it.

Chronic fatigue syndrome or chronic fatigue is an oft-misunderstood medical condition that causes millions of Americans to miss out on everyday life. The condition may worsen with increased physical or mental activity, and won’t necessarily improve with rest. But what exactly causes chronic fatigue, and what can you do to treat it?

To start, it’s important to note that chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome are similar but considered two separate issues, Dr. Raphael Kellman, founder of Kellman Wellness Center, told Fox News.

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“There are a number of similar factors, and there are many different variations of the same problem,” Kellman said. “However, the common denominator between both issues is chronic fatigue lasts for more than a couple of months without improvement from sleep or is exacerbated with increased physical activity. Chronic fatigue syndrome typically lasts longer and includes muscle tenderness.”

Researchers have long struggled to pinpoint an exact causes of chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome, but there have been several studies conducted that have found common links between patients. Kellman said that gut health has been found to play a key role in patients with chronic fatigue and that many who are diagnosed with it also experience gastrointestinal issues. He also said that undiagnosed thyroid issues may be an underlying cause of chronic fatigue syndrome.

“Another possibility is that multiple triggers lead to the development of these conditions, including viral infections, certain diseases, immune dysfunction and adrenal gland problems,” he said, adding that he believes it has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. “Far too many people are walking around with fatigue and brain fog.”

WHAT CAUSES A BUNION?

There is no single test to determine whether a patient is suffering from chronic fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome, but a doctor may order a series of tests to rule out other possible ailments. Medical history and blood tests can also help determine the diagnosis, Kellman said. In his own practice, Kellman said he has seen success with the TRH Stimulation test, which involves assessing the pituitary gland’s function.

The conditions can affect anyone, including children, but Kellman said those with a compromised immune system or with a history of antibiotic overuse may be at a higher risk than others. Additional risk factors include age, gender and stress.

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“If you’re sleeping well and you’re reducing your stress and you’re still feeling this way, then you should seek help, especially if it’s associated with weight gain, anxiety and depression (or other psychological issues) and gastrointestinal issues; then you know it’s not just associated with lifestyle – and something more serious that needs to be addressed with a doctor,” Kellman said.

Once diagnosed, Kellman said he has seen patients improve with changes to diet. Working on a personalized approach to the illness can also improve a patient’s symptoms, he said.

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“When you treat the underlying issues by first healing the microbiome and actively testing for the thyroid, then you can treat and, ultimately, cure yourself from this syndrome,” he said.

What is frostbite and who is at risk?

Spring may be just around the corner but in plenty of regions across the U.S. the temperatures continue to drop into the freezing range, putting millions of Americans at risk for a myriad of health issues, including frostbite. While some may believe the condition is temporary, it can actually lead to long-term or chronic health issues.

“Frostbite is a severe injury to a body part or parts resulting from freezing of the soft tissue,” Dr. Amalia Cochran, director of the Burn Center at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told Fox News. “Fingers and hands, toes and feet, and nose are the most commonly affected areas.”

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM CORONAVIRUS

Signs that you may be in danger of developing frostbite can include cold, numb skin that “feels hard and looks pale or waxy,” Cochran said, adding that fingers or toes that become hard to move may be affected. Blisters may also appear on the skin once the impacted areas are warmed up.

If you suspect frostbite, you should be seen by a health care professional immediately so that they can attempt to save the damaged tissue. Cochran said that if treatment occurs within 24 hours of the injury, doctors may attempt to use a “clot-busting” drug to minimize damage. However, once the 24-hour window has ended, treatment options become limited.

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Cochran said those who are exposed to cold or wet environments for long periods of time are most at risk for developing the condition, which can include people with mental illness or housing issues. She added that being under the influence of alcohol or drugs can also put people at an increased risk for frostbite because of “impaired sensation and impaired judgment.”

In order to avoid frostbite this winter season, Cochran advises against staying out in the cold for too long, and wearing the appropriate clothes.

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“If you plan to be out in cold weather, layers of clothing can be really helpful,” she said. “Carry emergency supplies in case you end up getting stuck somewhere in the cold.”

Sacramento confirms first coronavirus case in patient who traveled to China

Health officials in Sacramento confirmed the county’s first case of novel coronavirus in an adult who recently returned from a trip to China. The patient returned to the U.S. on Feb. 2 and had been under self-quarantine until developing mild symptoms.

CORONAVIRUS SPREADS IN CHINESE PRISONS, OVER 500 INFECTED

According to a news release, the patient’s health care provider worked with the Sacramento County Public Health to coordinate testing with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the California Department of Public Health. It was not clear when the patient tested positive for the virus, but officials said the patient is currently asymptomatic and will remain home in mandatory isolation “until cleared by Sacramento County Public Health.”

Officials said that at this point, the public’s risk of exposure remains “extremely low.”

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE CANCELS ‘ALL VOYAGES IN ASIA’ OVER CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS

“Cases in the U.S. including this first case in Sacramento County, have primarily been travel-related,” Dr. Peter Beilenson, the health department’s director, said. “The risk of COVID-19 to the U.S. public continues to be low. Sacramento County health providers are continuing to be vigilant, monitoring for acute respiratory illness, and gathering recent travel information to detect any new COVID-19 cases.”

The newly confirmed case was not mentioned during a CDC telebriefing held on Friday, where officials said they will be counting cases involving passengers who were evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship separately from other travel-related cases. At least 11 of the American evacuees who had been quarantined on the ship have tested positive for the virus, with officials warning that more cases could be expected. Those cases are not included in the 15 others that had been confirmed in Americans who were either evacuated from or had recently traveled to China.

CORONAVIRUS CASES BALLOON IN SOUTH KOREA AS OUTBREAK SPREADS

The virus has infected over 76,000 people worldwide, although the majority of cases remain in mainland China. At least 2,250 have died, including a 29-year-old doctor in China who had allegedly put off his wedding in order to help treat patients.

Officials in South Korea have reported a sharp uptick in cases, with the country deciding to shut schools and cancel mass gatherings in an attempt to stop the spread. As of Friday, officials reported two deaths and over 204 cases, which marks a steep rise from just two days earlier.

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“We have entered an emergency phase,” Prime Minister Chung Se-kyun said in televised comments at the start of a government meeting on the health emergency. “Our efforts until now had been focused on blocking the illness from entering the country. But we will now shift the focus on preventing the illness from spreading further in local communities.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Coronavirus cases balloon in South Korea as outbreak spreads

SEOUL, South Korea – Schools were shuttered, churches told worshipers to stay away and some mass gatherings were banned as cases of a new virus swelled Friday in South Korea, the newest front in a widening global outbreak.

The country said two people have died and 204 have been infected with the virus, quadruple the number of cases it had two days earlier, as a crisis centered in China has begun strongly reverberating elsewhere.

CORONAVIRUS SPREADS IN CHINESE PRISONS, OVER 500 INFECTED

The multiplying caseload in South Korea showed the ease with which the illness can spread. Though initial infections were linked to China, new ones have not involved international travel.

Daegu, a southeastern city of 2.5 million that is the country’s fourth largest, emerged as the focus of government efforts to contain the disease known as COVID-19, and Chung promised support to ease a shortage in hospital beds, medical personnel and equipment. Mayor Kwon Young-jin of Daegu has urged residents to stay inside, even wearing masks at home, to stem further infection.

The first case in Daegu was reported on Tuesday. By Friday, the city and its surrounding areas had 152, including South Korea’s first two fatalities from COVID-19.

Nationwide, the numbers told of a ballooning problem. There were 20 new cases reported Wednesday, 53 on Thursday and 100 on Friday.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM CORONAVIRUS

The central government declared a “special management zone” around Daegu on Friday, which didn’t restrict movement of residents or supersede local officials’ power but served as official recognition of the problem.

Most of those cases have been linked to a single house of worship, a branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, where a woman in her 60s attended two services before testing positive for the virus.

About 1,000 others who attended services with the woman have been isolated in their homes for screening, and health authorities say they’re trying to monitor thousands of other church members.

All 74 sites operated by the Shincheonji Church have been closed and worshipers have been told to instead watch services online for a sect whose leader claims to be an angel of Christ, but who is dismissed by many outsiders as a cult leader. Its teachings revolve largely around the Book of Revelation, a chapter of the New Testament known mostly for its apocalyptic foreshadowing.

Health and city officials say the woman eyed as a potential transmitter at the church had contact with some 1,160 people, both at the church and at a restaurant and a hospital where she was treated for injuries from a car accident. That raised fears that South Korea — which before Wednesday had recorded just 31 cases of the virus — should brace for a further surge.

“I hope South Korea will do everything to contain this outbreak at this early stage,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization.

Usually bustling downtown streets of Daegu were nearly deserted Friday as people wearing face masks lined up at clinics seeking testing. Crowds formed in supermarkets where shelves of ramen and curry were nearly bare. Eight hundred area schools, due to start a new academic year on March 2, delayed their openings by a week.

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“Panic is taking hold,” said Daegu resident Huh Mi-yeon. “People are scared of any situation where they would run into another person.”

Elsewhere in the country, angst grew too. In the capital of Seoul, major downtown rallies were banned, and fears of the virus led many to avoid shops and restaurants and instead eat at home and order necessities online. Buses and subways were full of mask-clad commuters.

The first three cases in the country’s 600,000-member military also sprung up on separate bases Friday, bringing added concern. A sailor on Jeju Island and an army officer in North Chungcheong province both tested positive. Both had made recent visits to Daegu, officials said. A third infection was reported in an air force officer who is based in Daegu but who had recently traveled to military headquarters in central South Korea, the defense ministry said, prompting the quarantine of 80 soldiers there.

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Globally, more than 76,000 people have been infected in 27 countries, and more than 2,200 have died. Even as new alarms were sounded elsewhere in Asia, in China, where the vast majority of cases have occurred, officials have expressed optimism over the number of new infections, which has been trending downward. China said Friday 889 new cases were recorded in the preceding 24 hours and 118 additional deaths.

Coronavirus spreads in Chinese prisons, over 500 infected

A spike in the number of coronavirus cases reported in China on Friday includes hundreds of prisoners who have been infected with the COVID-19 virus. As a result, prison and security officials, as well as others in Hubei, have been fired over failing to disclose information and for allowing the virus to spread.

Justice Ministry official He Ping said more than 500 cases of the novel coronavirus had been confirmed within the country’s prisons. A majority of the 271 cases involving prisoners in the Hubei Province occurred at the Wuhan Women’s Prison, He told reporters, according to Agence France-Presse. Another 200 prisoners tested positive for the virus in Shandong Province, and dozens more were confirmed in Shilifen prisoners in Zhejiang Province.

AT LEAST 11 AMERICAN DIAMOND PRINCESS EVACUEES TEST POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS

He said that the virus had been imported into prisons and that there were no deaths among infected prisoners, The South China Morning Post reported.

The latest tallies suggest over 76,000 people have been infected with COVID-19, with at least 2,250 deaths, including a 29-year-old doctor who had been working to treat coronavirus patients. Peng Yinjua, a respiratory doctor, died on Thursday.

COLLABORATION KEY IN STOPPING CORONAVIRUS FROM BECOMING GLOBAL PANDEMIC, EXPERT SAYS

“The overall situation is trending toward the better, and the outbreak is under control with zero increase in some provinces, Zeng Yixin, vice director of National Health Commission, said, according to The Associated Press. “In Hubei and Wuhan, however, newly reported deaths remain at a high level. We need to take that seriously.”

China’s senior Communist Party officials continued to urge caution and said that they’ve yet to see a turning point in the outbreak. Local authorities also reminded citizens that there would be legal consequences for failing to abide by the outbreak protocols.

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“During the epidemic, we found some individuals who were airing their grievances and disappointment by spitting at members of the public, in lifts, on supermarket merchandise and even at medical staff,” Li Jingsheng, director of the Public Security Administration of the Ministry of Public Security, said, according to SCMP.com. “Others have refused to … wear any protective gear in public places, and have abused and beaten [workers carrying out control measures].”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Army veteran’s bone ‘paint’ would help treat combat wounds, promote regrowth

PTSD: America’s growing mental health issue

Surviving a traumatic event has been known to cause wounds that require more than medical care. Experiencing an assault, accident or warfare has led to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for a growing number of people. Learn how to spot the symptoms and what to do next.

A paint-like substance intended to promote bone growth has inched a step closer toward human trials, potentially giving soldiers another option for treating combat injuries.

The substance, called AMP2, which is made by the company Theradaptive, was created by a retired Army lieutenant colonel who went back to graduate school after serving a year in Iraq in search of a way to help soldiers who were losing limbs because they couldn’t regrow tissue to restore function, according to Military.com.

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“To me, it felt like a tragedy that that would be the reason why you would lose a limb,” the veteran, Luis Alvarez, told the news outlet. “So when I got back from Iraq, I went back to grad school and the motivation there, in part, was to see if I could develop something or work on the problem of how do you induce the body to regenerate tissue in specific places and with a lot of control?”

Currently, some soldiers dealing with combat wounds are treated with a protein liquid to promote bone growth that can be difficult to control during application, potentially opening the door to further complications, according to Military.com.

WOUNDED VETERAN NOAH GALLOWAY: ‘I WAS PREPARED TO DIE. I WASN’T PREPARED FOR THE INBETWEEN’

Alvarez’s product is a sticky alternative to that therapy, he said, and according to Theradaptive’s website, it would be used for spinal fusion, long bone repair, dental and facial bone repair and osteochondral repair.

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Theradaptive has received $9 million in grants from the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, Military.com reported.

At least 11 American Diamond Princess evacuees test positive for coronavirus, another doctor, 29, in China dies

At least 11 American evacuees transported to the U.S. from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship have tested positive for the coronavirus, as another doctor in China was pronounced dead from the virus Friday.

The American evacuees were transported to U.S. hospitals after delayed Japenese test results showed they tested positive. Five other people were confirmed to have shown symptoms of the virus.

None of the 16 evacuees has had confirmed tests by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, so federal authorities have yet to report them. They have been staying at Travis Air Force Base in California.

Four were taken to a hospital in Washington state, while Scott Pauley, a CDC spokesman, wouldn’t elaborate on where the others were taken.

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The newly infected reportedly don’t include the 14 people who officials had previously said tested positive before boarding two State Department chartered flights carrying 300 Americans from the Diamond Princess last Monday. Thirteen of them were brought to a hospital in Omaha, Neb., and the CDC says 11 are officially declared to have the virus.

Another doctor in Wuhan was also confirmed to have been killed by the virus Friday, adding to the list of leading medical professionals now deceased in the virus’s epicenter.

Peng Yinhua, a 29-year-old respiratory doctor died Thursday. Others killed by the virus include Wuchang Hospital director Liu Zhiming and Li Wenliang, who warned authorities about the virus before it was public.

China has suffered the most from the virus, which is now known as COVID-19, with the country having 99 percent of the cases. The U.S. has 26 patients, including 11 confirmed so far at a Nebraska hospital, eight in California, one in Texas, one in Wisconsin, one in Arizona, one in Washington state, one in Massachusetts and two in Illinois. Those numbers don’t include the 11 recently shown to have the new virus.

CDC officials added there will “likely be additional cases in the coming days and weeks, including among other people recently returned from Wuhan.”

UT AUSTIN ANNOUNCES CORONAVIRUS ‘BREAKTHROUGH’ COULD HELP YIELD VACCINE

The U.S. had announced that Americans who traveled to China within the last 14 days would be sent to designated airports for enhanced screenings. Foreign nationals who recently went to China would be denied entry in the U.S., except for the immediate family of American citizens and permanent residents.

China’s Foreign Ministry had said the U.S. hasn’t given the country any substantive help in its fight against the coronavirus outbreak. They added the U.S. was contributing to the international panic surrounding the illness, Reuters reported.

People wearing face masks walk through a public park in Beijing, Friday, Feb. 21, 2020. (Associated Press)

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The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a global emergency as it spreads to countries outside of China and the number of infected patients continues to grow.

Countries around the globe have increased travel restrictions to the infected mainland China and Hubei province — with the U.S. State Department increasing its advisory to level 4: “Do Not Travel.”

The CDC has issued an advisory to avoid all nonessential travel to the country.

Coronavirus has now killed about three times the amount of people in China than were sickened during the SARS outbreak in the early 2000s. The SARS outbreak killed 349 people in mainland China in 2002-2003 — with 744 deaths and 8,096 infections globally, according to the CDC.

Here are the latest figures.

How many have been infected or have died?

The virus has claimed the lives of 2,236 people and infected 75,465 around the globe. Only 11 people have died outside mainland China.

South Korea recorded its first fatality from the virus on Thursday.

France announced its first death on Saturday in a Chinese tourist who died in the country. It was the first fatality outside of Asia.

Japan announced two people in their 80s who were on the Diamond Princess cruise ship had died on Thursday. A week earlier, an 80-year-old woman died after being hospitalized near Toyko since Feb. 1.

The other deaths were in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

The WHO said the number of cases will keep growing as tests are pending on thousands of suspected cases.

Where is the virus?

Roughly 99 percent of new cases have appeared in China with the vast majority of the cases in Hubei province and its provincial capital, Wuhan — the epicenter of the virus.

The United Kingdom has nine cases in the country.

SOUTH KOREA REPORTS FIRST CORONAVIRUS DEATH: HEALTH OFFICIALS

Japan — 519 (607 passengers on Diamond Princess cruise ship outside Yokohama) (3 deaths)

South Korea — 104 (1 death)

Singapore — 84

Thailand — 35

South Korea — 31

Taiwan — 24 (1 death)

Malaysia — 22

Germany — 16

Vietnam — 16

Australia — 15

France — 12 (1 death)

United Arab Emirates — 9

Canada — 8

India — 3

Italy — 3

Philippines — 3 (1 death)

Russia — 2

Spain — 2

Iran — 2

Sweden — 1

Belgium — 1

Nepal — 1

Finland –1

Sri Lanka — 1

Cambodia — 1

Egypt — 1

Hong Kong — 67 (1 death)

Macao — 10

Differences between coronavirus and the flu?

The flu has estimated to have killed roughly 10,000 to 25,000 people with nearly 19 to 26 million infected in the U.S. between October 1, 2019, and January 25, 2020, according to the CDC. Coronavirus has impacted a far lesser number, although it’s not yet clear how many have been infected or how widespread it is.

There have also been reports it can be spread without symptoms showing up. In respiratory illnesses, people with the most symptoms are the most contagious, the agency said. Children and those over 65 are the most likely to get sick from the flu, the CDC added.

IS THE NOVEL CORONAVUS HERE TO STAY?

People wearing face masks walk on a down own street in Hong Kong Friday, Feb. 21, 2020. COVID-19 viral illness has sickened tens of thousands of people in China since December. (Associated Press)

Unlike the coronavirus, there’s a seasonal vaccine for the flu. People over six months out are advised by the agency to get it during annual vaccination, with certain rare exceptions, such as severe allergies to the shot.

No vaccine has been developed for coronavirus as of yet, which makes it dangerous in that respect.

How did it start?

It’s not entirely clear how it started, but Chinese scientists believe the virus may have originated in bats. The pangolin, a type of scaly anteater was reported to be a possible host, according to a Chinese University. A study by the Wuhan Institute of Virology said that genome sequences from seven patients tested were identical to the bat coronavirus.

How does it transmit?

It’s believed the normal coronavirus can be transmitted most commonly through respiratory droplets in the air, as well as close contact with an infected person or touching areas contaminated with the virus before washing. The digestive tract may also transmit the disease, according to scientists from the Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University and the Wuhan Institute of Virology of the Chinese Academy of Science.

HOW IS CORONAVIRUS TRANSMITTED?

They recently discovered “virus genetic material” in feces samples and rectal swabs from some patients, Chinese state media reported.

What are the current travel restrictions?

The U.S. declared the coronavirus a public health emergency with Trump signing an order barring entry to foreign nationals who recently were in China, other than the immediate family of American citizens and permanent residents.

Officials at the CDC have advised travelers to avoid all nonessential travel to the country. The U.S. State Department raised its China travel advisory to “Level 4: Do Not Travel.”

“Those currently in China should consider departing using commercial means. The Department of State has requested that all non-essential U.S. government personnel defer travel to China in light of the novel coronavirus,” The advisory said.

Vietnam stopped all flights to and from China.

Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Australia all have similar policies to the U.S. on restricting non-citizens.

Mongolia and Singapore have shut their borders.

Singapore said it would ban travelers from China’s Hubei province.

Pakistan says they’re halting all flights to and from China

People wear face masks as they ride along a road in Beijing, Friday, Feb. 21, 2020. (Associated Press)

The United Kingdom and New Zealand advised their people against nonessential travel to China.

Russia has signed an order to close the border between them and China. They also blocked tour groups from China.

China has cut off access to Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, trapping more than 50 million people

Hong Kong quarantining visitors from mainland China

Japan bars foreign nationals who had been to Hubei province.

Carnival and Royal Caribbean denying boarding of people who travel to China within 14 days.

Italy suspended all flights to China.

LONDON CAN HOST 2020 OLYMPICS IF CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK PERSISTS, MAYORAL CANDIDATE SAYS

South Korea urged an increase in its level of caution to “restraint” when traveling to China.

Hong Kong reduced half its flights and shut down rail service to mainland China.

Cathay Pacific Airways asks 27,000 employees to take three weeks of unpaid leave.

Delta suspended all service to China.

United Airlines suspends all flights between China and the U.S.

United’s pilots, concerned for their safety, were able to drop trips to China without pay, a union memo said, according to Reuters.

American Airlines suspends all flights to China.

The Allied Pilots Association (APA), which represents 15,000 pilots for American Airlines filed a lawsuit to halt service with the airline, citing “serious, and in many ways still unknown, health threats posed by the coronavirus.”

“I am directing all APA pilots to cease flight operations between the United States and China,” said APA president Eric Ferguson. “Until further notice, if you are scheduled, assigned, or reassigned a pairing into China, decline the assignment by calling your Chief Pilot or IOC Duty Pilot. Inform them you are declining in accordance with the CDC and WHO declarations.”

British Airways suspended all flights to and from mainland China.

Virgin Atlantic suspending operations to Shanghai

Lufthansa suspending flights to and from China

Air India and Seoul Air halting all flights to the country.

Egypt Air suspended all fights

Air France suspending all flights

Finnair, Cathay Pacific, and Jetstar also stopping service.

Lion Air canceled 50 flights to China into February.

Air Canada suspending all direct flights to Beijing and Shanghai.

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Kenya Airways suspends all flights to China.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Coronavirus fears prompt FBI to order $40G in hand sanitizer, face masks: report

The FBI has purchased $40,000 worth of hand sanitizer and face masks “in case the coronavirus becomes a pandemic in the United States,” according to an acquisition document signed Friday.

The order reportedly includes face masks from manufacturing company 3M, as well as disinfectants from PDI Healthcare.

Both virus-prevention products were directed to “be stored throughout the country for distribution in the event of a declared pandemic,” the document said, according to CNBC.

TENNESSEE DOCTOR, WIFE SEE CORONAVIRUS TURN THEIR CRUISE VACATION INTO A NIGHTMARE AS WIFE TESTS POSITIVE

People wearing face masks walk on a down own street in Hong Kong Friday, Feb. 21, 2020. COVID-19 viral illness has sickened tens of thousands of people in China since December. (Associated Press)

A pandemic is described as an epidemic that spreads across a large region, across continents and even the entire globe. More than 1,000 cases and 11 deaths from the virus have been recorded outside mainland China, while more than 75,000 cases and 2,200 deaths were recorded in the country as of Friday.

“We still don’t have the Centers for Disease Control [CDC] in there [China] to help out. Neighboring countries are starting to get more and more concerned about this,” said Dr. Marc Siegel last week. “Physicians having to diagnose this without all the material they need and the ability to isolate patients is very worrisome … and eventually, it’s going to spill over to the rest of the world potentially causing a pandemic.”

The document added the “supplies are for the FBI strategic stockpile for Pandemic Preparedness,” the news channel said.

UT AUSTIN ANNOUNCES CORONAVIRUS ‘BREAKTHROUGH’ COULD HELP YIELD VACCINE

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a global emergency as it spreads to countries outside of China and the number of infected patients continues to grow.

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It has yet to be classified as a global pandemic by the organization.

Fox News’ Yael Halon contributed to this report.

Tennessee doctor, wife see coronavirus turn their cruise vacation into a nightmare as wife tests positive

A Tennessee doctor remained Thursday aboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship that’s seen more than 600 passengers and crew — including his wife — test positive for the coronavirus, according to multiple reports.

Dr. Arnold Hopland, a physician from Elizabethton, has been confined to his cabin for 23 hours a day, with only the clothes on his back, after the couple’s belongings were carried away on buses Monday, when they thought they’d be evacuating along with most of the ship’s other American passengers.

But then his wife Jeanie tested positive and was transported to a Japanese hospital. Rather than return to the U.S., Dr. Hopland stayed aboard the ship, which is docked near Tokyo.

“If my wife is staying here, I’m staying here,” he told Nashville’s WKRN-TV.

“If my wife is staying here, I’m staying here.”

— Dr. Arnold Hopland, Tennessee physician

Hopland described the Diamond Princess as basically being full of the virus.

“We’re essentially living in a petri dish to find out when we get infected,” he said.

CORONAVIRUS-QUARANTINED PASSENGERS ON DIAMOND PRINCESS SHIP FED BY CELEBRITY CHEF JOSE ANDRES

More than 300 Americans were taken off the ship and flown to the U.S. on State Department-chartered airplanes last weekend and placed in quarantine, while another 40 Americans — including Dr. Hopland — remained aboard.

The Hoplands were scheduled to be on Monday’s evacuation flight and had their suitcases already loaded on buses. But then an officer on the ship informed them that because his wife was infected, she had to stay behind.

Leaving his wife was not an option he would consider, Dr. Hopland said. Jeanie was taken away by Japanese officials a day later and now they communicate only by daily phone calls.

AMERICANS EVACUATED FROM DIAMOND PRINCESS CRUISE SHIP NOW UNDER TWO-WEEK QUARANTINE IN US

U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., had urged officials to evacuate American citizens from the vessel during a conference call last Thursday, according to the Johnson City Press.

A bus carrying passengers from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship prepares to leave a port in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020. (Associated Press)

Roe — who is also a physician — has reportedly been in contact with Hopland.

“They live in very tight quarters, they’re preparing the food,” Roe said, according to the paper. “It’s not an ideal situation.”

Meanwhile, officials said Thursday that two elderly Japanese passengers who had pre-existing medical conditions had died from the virus — the first deaths recorded from people on the ship.

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“They designed an extremely flawed system,” Hopland told the station, “Now for a couple of days, just because they were under-prepared, I can fully excuse that, but for it to continue on now two weeks later and continuing on for another at minimum two weeks … this ship is completely infected with the virus.”

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