Following the French officials on Friday confirming three cases of the new coronavirus from China, marking the first time the deadly virus was detected in Europe, we are now hearing of the first to reach Germany.
France's and Germany's announcement cone as more than a dozen countries around the world reported infections. Nepal also confirmed a case on Friday — the first in a South Asian country. Australia reported its first four cases Saturday and the US is now up to five cases.
Key notes about the coronavirus
- Officials say they have limited knowledge about the virus and the risks posed by its mutations.
- At least 81 are dead in China, and more than 2,700 are confirmed to be infected.
- Some health experts estimate up to 100,000 people could be infected.
In a report written in The Hill, Joseph Guzman explains that Chinese officials warn infected patients can spread the virus before showing symptoms.
A longtime adviser to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. William Schaffner, told CNN the new development means “the infection is much more contagious than we originally thought.”
Schaffner called it a game changer and warned current preventative methods won’t be enough to fight off the outbreak since tracking down the contacts a patient had before experience symptoms complicates the situation.
Market implications
The fear of contagion and the concerns that the virus is unlike nothing seen before is keeping markets on edge.
Subsequently, the S&P 500 lost 52 points, or 1.57%, to end near 3,244 while the Dow Jones Industrial Average, DJIA, lost 454 points, or 1.6%, to end 28,535, based on preliminary numbers. The Nasdaq Composite tumbled 176 points, or 1.9%, to close at around 9.139.
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