It is only a thing of time until COVID-19 – the disease due to the virus SARS - CoV-2 , formerly known as 2019 - nCoV – begins to spread within US communities , top US wellness officials said Tuesday .
With more than 80,000 people infect around the reality , the position in the US is “ apace evolving and expand ” . At this fourth dimension , the virus is not currently spreading in American communities , but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) reports at least 14 confirmed display case , promptingwarningsthat contagion between people is potential to keep on .
" It ’s not so much a enquiry of if this will happen anymore , but rather more a doubt of exactly when this will come about and how many people in this state will have severe sickness , " Nancy Messonnier , manager of the CDC ’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases , said during an onlinemedia briefingon February 25 .
It comes after the World Health OrganizationdeclaredCOVID-19a public wellness emergency , though it hasnot yet declaredit a pandemic . transmittance of the computer virus in residential district around the world is appearing without origin of know vulnerability , triggering wellness functionary to begin new strategies that are unambiguously orient to conditions at the local grade . Already , the virus has caused malady resulting in death and sustained person - to - soul transmission – two measure for the consideration of being a pandemic . Health experts say that world-wide spread of the virus would remind a pandemic designation .
A XII travelling - pertain cases and two cases of person - to - individual spread has been documented in the US as ofFebruary 24 . moderation and bar measurement are changing almost casual and containment measure have been mostly successful , but that becomes more and more difficult as the virus proceed to propagate . To combat the computer virus , the CDC is turn to theCommunity Mitigation Guidelines To Prevent Pandemic Influenza , a 2017 account that provides a theoretical account for the current strategy to undertake the potential pandemic in an “ aggressive , proactive elbow room . ”
Messonnier add that the situation may seem “ overwhelming ” and that people may experience severe break in their everyday life , but protective measures require to be reckon now . Currently , there is no vaccination or practice of medicine to treat the pathogen and experts recommend the public follow non - pharmaceutical interventions as the first step in protection . This includes ego - imposed quarantine if you or someone you know becomes sick , limiting expression - to - cheek contact in community of interests setting , and clean Earth’s surface often and thoroughly . When possible , habituate telepresence for physician sojourn , work , and perhaps even schooling .
“ Now is the time for business , hospital , biotic community , school day , and everyday people to begin preparing as well , ” she say , adding that local measure will variegate by the unique circumstances present within each community .
