Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease that is currently spreading across the globe, and is a part of a larger coronavirus family.
It started spreading in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. Since then the Chinese government has reported that cases of the virus have grown to tens of thousands.
Coronavirus, in general, is most commonly found in animals such as camels, cattle, cats, and bats, but there are four strains that regularly circulate in humans. The CDC states that the first confirmed case likely came from animal-to-person contact, and the others likely came from person-to-person contact.
As of March 21, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy issued an announcement that all non-essential businesses (including retail stores, hair salons, etc.) will be closed until further notice. Testing sites are popping up all over the state but have yet to meet the full demands of the state’s population who wish to be tested.
While COVID-19 seems to present as mild in younger people, those over 60 and anyone with underlying health conditions appear to be the most vulnerable to more aggressive forms of the virus, some even resulting in death.
As of March 22, there are currently over 300,000 cases globally, and some states are issuing messages to its citizens to stay quarantined at all times. The CDC urges everyone to wash their hands frequently and to practice social distancing to reduce the risk of contracting the virus. If you begin to develop flu-like symptoms or do not feel well, call a doctor immediately.
For more information and updates on COVID-19, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html. For the most up-to-date news about COVID-19 in New Jersey, see Gov. Murhpy’s Twitter.
