<h3>In December 2019, there was a cluster of pneumonia cases in China. Investigations found that it was caused by a previously unknown virus, now named the 2019 novel coronavirus. In this video, we'll take a quick look at what's currently known about the virus. Keep in mind that this is a new virus and what's known about the virus now might change in the future. <br></h3> <h3>Corona viruses are a large group of viruses. They consist of a core of genetic material surrounded by an envelope with protein spikes. This gives it the appearance of a crown. Crown in Latin is called corona, and that's how these viruses get their name.There are different types of corona viruses that cause a number of human diseases, such as respiratory and sometimes gastrointestinal disease. <br></h3> <h3>The respiratory disease can range from the common cold to pneumonia and in most people, the symptoms tend to be mild, however, there are some types of corona viruses that can cause severe disease. These include the severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus in China in 2003 and the Middle East respiratory syndrome corona virus that was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. </h3> <h3>The 2019-nCov was first identified in China, It initially occurred in a group of people with pneumonia who had been associated with a seafood market in the city of Wuhan. The disease has since spread from those who were sick to others including family members and healthcare staff. There are hundreds of cases at present and the disease has spread within China and also to a number of other countries. <br></h3> <h3>So where did the virus come from?It's known that corona viruses circulate in a range of animals, sometimes these viruses can make the jump from animals to humans. This is called a spillover and could be due to a range of factors such as mutations in the virus, or contact between humans and animals, for example, MERS-CoV is known to be transmitted from camels and SARS-CoV from civet cats the animal. Reservoir of the 2019-nCov is not known yet. <br></h3> <h3>How is it transmitted? The exact dynamics of how the virus is transmitted is yet to be determined. In general, respiratory viruses are usually transmitted through droplets created when an infected person coughs or sneezes or through something that has been contaminated with the virus. <br></h3> <h3>So how does the disease present?Well, from what is known so far there can be a number of symptoms ranging from mild to severe, there can be fever and respiratory symptoms such as cough and shortness of breath. In more severe cases, there's been pneumonia, kidney failure and death. The mortality rate is not known yet. </h3> <h3>How can we tell whether someone is infected? The infection can be diagnosed by a test called PCR or polymerase chain reaction.This test identifies the virus based on its genetic fingerprint. There is currently no specific medication for the virus and treatment is supportive care. There is currently no Vaccine to protect against the virus.</h3> <h3>How do we prevent transmission of the virus? This new virus currently has a limited geographic spread, however, there are a number of standard hygiene practices that have been recommended to protect against infection and further spread. These include washing hands regularly， covering your mouth and nose after coughing or sneezing, avoiding close contact with those who are unwell, the appropriate use of masks and personal protective equipment, especially in a healthcare setting. <br></h3> <h3>Actions that can be taken to prevent infection from an animal source include avoiding unnecessary contact with animals, washing hands after contact with animals or animal products and ensuring that animal products are cooked thoroughly before they're consumed. That's a quick look at this emerging infectious disease. <br></h3> <h3>朗讀者簡(jiǎn)介</h3><h3> 李丞悅 12歲 北京市房山區(qū)良鄉(xiāng)三中學(xué)生 連續(xù)兩年榮獲北京教育系統(tǒng)關(guān)工委組織的教育讀書活動(dòng)演講比賽 房山區(qū)一等獎(jiǎng)和北京市二等獎(jiǎng) 榮獲第一屆 中國(guó)夢(mèng)燕山情——全國(guó)朗誦大會(huì)中榮獲 （少年組） 金獎(jiǎng) 榮獲 房山區(qū)“尋找房山區(qū)最美朗讀者”冠軍，成為 最美朗讀者 榮獲第五屆“曹燦杯”青少年朗讀比賽活動(dòng) 全國(guó)特等獎(jiǎng)。英文方面獲得多項(xiàng)獎(jiǎng)項(xiàng)，獲得劍橋英語(yǔ)通用五級(jí)中的FCE級(jí)別</h3><h3><b>Reader's Profile
Li Chengyue,12
Students of No.3 Middle School in Fangshan District, Beijing
Won a speech contest for two consecutive years on education reading activities organized by the Committee of the Beijing Education System Fangshan District First Prize and Beijing Second Prize
Won the first term Chinese Dream Yanshan - Gold Award in National Recitation Conference
Awarded Fangshan District "Looking for the most beautiful readers of Fangshan District" champion, become Most beautiful readers
Won the fifth "Cao Can Cup" Youth Reading Competition National Principal Award. English has won a number of awards and the FCE level in Cambridge English Common Level 5</b>
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