With the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus rising significantly over the past few days, we’ve got the latest on this epidemic. For the most recent information from MedCram, please check out our three newest videos, covering Asymptomatic Transmission & Incubation Period, Global Health Emergency Declared & Viral Shedding, and Travel Ban, Spread Outside of China, Quarantine, & MRSA.
Asymptomatic Transmission & Incubation Period
In video number six, Dr. Seheult talks about a ten-year-old child who flew to Wuhan with their family around the new year and a confirmed case of a positive coronavirus test before any symptoms were present. This happened as both the child’s parents and grandparents got ill and tested positive, so the parents insisted the child be tested as well, despite being asymptomatic at the time.
This information bears significance in relation to the return of American diplomats and travelers from China, as officials are questioning the effectiveness of quarantines and screenings due to the possibility of asymptomatic transmission. With the family and child mentioned above, the incubation period for the parents and grandparents was quite short — only 3-4 days — which may support the effectiveness of a 72-hour quarantine, as was the initial plan for these travelers returning to the United States. The quarantine has since been extended to 14 days.
Global Health Emergency Declared & Viral Shedding
In this video, Dr. Seheult talks again about the mortality rate and potential discrepancies with current numbers of deaths and infections, plus the big news that the World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus outbreak a serious global emergency.
In further news on the quarantine at the March Air Reserve base, the flight’s 195 passengers are being tested and screened before returning to their respective homes all around the country. To help demonstrate the evidence of asymptomatic spread and the virus’s incubation period, Dr. Seheult maps out a similar scenario that unfolded in Germany, after a business meeting with a Chinese visitor resulted in a domino effect of coronavirus transmission.
Travel Ban, Spread Outside of China, Quarantine, & MRSA
Finally, our most recent video — the eighth regarding the coronavirus outbreak — looks at the rate of increase of confirmed coronavirus cases. Moreover, there has been another confirmed case in the United States, involving a man in Boston who traveled to Wuhan. As such, the United States, Japan, and Australia have instituted more restrictive travel bans and even a 14-day mandatory quarantine for U.S. citizens coming from the Wuhan area.
Additionally, the first death outside of China was just announced in the Philippines. The man, who was 44 years old, had been showing signs of recovery before quickly turning for the worse. In light of this news, Dr. Seheult revisits the question of how does coronavirus kill? He talks about opportunistic infections, or OIs, and how viruses can open up people to the risk of OIs, which could be a possible explanation for the Filipino patient’s seeming improvement before his rapid decline.
More Coronavirus Information & Updates to Come
Keep following along with MedCram for further updates on the evolving coronavirus outbreak. If this is your first time tuning in, check out our earlier videos in the series for clarity on how the epidemic has unfolded thus far.
- Coronavirus Outbreak, Transmission, and Pathophysiology
- Coronavirus Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
- Coronavirus Update 3: Spread, Quarantine, Projections, and Vaccine
- How Coronavirus Kills: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) & Treatment
- Coronavirus Epidemic Update 5: Mortality Rate vs SARS / Influenza
- Coronavirus Outbreak Update 6: Asymptomatic Transmission & Incubation Period
- Coronavirus Epidemic Update 7: Global Health Emergency Declared, Viral Shedding
- Coronavirus Outbreak Update 8: Travel Ban, Spread Outside of China, Quarantine, & MRSA