Coronavirus could infect more than 60% of the world's population if containment methods fail, said a top medical official from Hong Kong. Furthermore, Professor Gabriel Leung, the city's chair of public health medicine, said that even if the death rate hits just one percent, the future impact means it can still kill thousands. So far, there have been more than 43,000 reported cases in the country, with more than 1,000 deaths due to the viral infection.
During a visit to London, Prof Leung told The Guardian that the priority now is to determine the size and shape of the' epidemic iceberg.'
Many experts believe that each infected person has managed to transmit the virus to another 2.5 others, providing a 60 to 80 percent ' attack rate.'Nevertheless, the death rate is considered to be much smaller. Prof Leung expects it to be about one hundred as consideration is given to milder conditions that have not been diagnosed.' Could 60 to 80 percent of the world's population be infected? "He said, ' Perhaps not. Maybe this virus is going to come in waves. ' Maybe the virus does attenuate its lethality because it will probably not benefit if it kills everyone on its course, because it will die as well. 'Upon determining the size of the virus, he said that they would then need to assess whether the prevention techniques used are effective in stopping the spread of the virus.
Governments around the world are currently focusing on containment to deter the spread of the virus, but if it succeeds, this solution must move to prevention. China locked up cities riddled with coronavirus, including Wuhan at the epicenter of the outbreak, in a futile effort to stop the spread of the disease. Cruise ships such as the Diamond Princess off the coast of Japan have been isolated after coronavirus cases have been reported, and many countries have isolated travelers returning from Wuhan and other parts of China.
How does the virus spread?
The illness will spread between people by coughing and sneezing, rendering it an extremely contagious infection. And it may spread even before someone has symptoms. It is known to migrate in saliva, and even through the water in the eyes, and close contact, touching, and exchanging cutlery or utensils are all dangerous.
Initially, people thought they were getting it from a live animal market in Wuhan City. Yet cases quickly began to emerge in patients who had never been there, which prompted medics to recognize that they were moving from person to person.
What is the virus doing to you? What are the signs?
Once someone has gotten the COVID-19 virus, it may take between two and 14 days, or even longer, to show any symptoms–but they may still be infectious during this time. Typical signs include runny nose, cough, sore throat, and fever (high temperature) as and when they become sick. The vast majority of patients–at least 97% based on available data–will recover from these without any problems or medical assistance.
It can lead to pneumonia in a small group of patients, who tend mostly to be elderly or those with long-term illnesses. Pneumonia is an inflammation that swells and covers the inside of the lungs with blood. It makes it increasingly difficult to breathe and, if left untreated, it can make people dangerous and suffocate.