An orthohantavirus, also called hantavirus, killed a man in China while the world is still suffering from the cruel devastation caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Because of this, netizens from around the world are worried that yet another deadly virus is about to spread.
Hailing from Yunnan, China, the man was travelling on his way back to Shandong, China on March 23, 2020 when he caught hantavirus. He took a chartered bus along with 32 other passengers.
The man was screened for the rare virus and tested positive after his death. The other 32 passengers on the bus were also tested but the results are yet to be disclosed.
Hantaviruses normally cause infection in rodents but do not cause disease in them. Humans do not easily get infected with the virus unless they have contact with rodent urine, saliva or feces.
On the other hand, the COVID-19 viruses spread through respiratory droplets produced when an infected human coughs or sneezes. The virus can be transferred from the infected one to another person when they are in close contact with one another, which is within about 6 feet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Before 2019 ended, a pneumonia outbreak was reported in Wuhan, China, which is approximately 2,000 kilometers away from Yunnan. The outbreak was traced to a novel strain of coronavirus on December 31, 2019, which was temporarily called 2019-nCoV before it was named COVID-19.
Without having to undergo special treatment, most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover, according to the World Health Organization. However, it is more likely for older people and those who already have medical problems such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes to develop serious illness.
As of March 25, 2020, there have been 422,141 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world and 18,907 patients died from the virus while 109,102 people recovered from it. Meanwhile, learn for about hantavirus here:
CONAN Daily 