Coronavirus: what do we know?
Read to find out more about COVID-19 and the coronavirus family. We have lots of good tips to help you stay safe and healthy. How much do you know about the novel coronavirus(新型冠状病毒)? It is this virus that causes COVID-19, an acute respiratory infectious disease(急性呼吸道传染病). Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. The word “corona” comes from Latin(拉丁文) and refers to crowns(王冠). When people first saw a coronavirus under a microscope(显微镜), they found that its spikes(刺突) looked like a crown. That’s how the viruses got their name. Some coronaviruses cause illness in humans; many others are found in animals, including camels, cats and bats. So far, we have found seven kinds of coronavirus that can infect humans. Four of them cause common sicknesses, such as the flu(流感) and common cold. But some coronaviruses are more serious. Examples include Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS, 中东呼吸综合症) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS,严重急性呼吸综合症). The novel coronavirus, which was first found in Wuhan, is the seventh one.
We have the answers
Q: What is the novel coronavirus?
A: The novel coronavirus has not been found in humans before. It was first found in a seafood market in Wuhan. Researchers found that it probably came from bats.
Q: How dangerous is it?
A: The novel coronavirus can kill up to 2.1 percent of the people it infects(感染). SARS and MERS have fatality rates(致死率) of about 9.6 and 34.4 percent, respectively(分别的), according to WHO.
Q: Who can catch this virus?
A: Elderly people are at the highest risk(风险) of dying. Over 80 percent of deaths have been people above the age of 60 and over 75 percent had chronic diseases(慢性病). Children who have the disease often show minor symptoms(轻症).
Q: What are the symptoms of the new disease?
A: Infected people will have a fever, cough and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, the virus can cause pneumonia(肺炎), kidney failure(肾衰竭)and death.
Q: How does this virus spread?
A: Coronaviruses can spread through mucus droplets(粘液飞沫) (a cough or sneeze); close personal contact (touching or shaking hands); touching an object with viral particles(微粒) (then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands); and rarely from human droppings(排泄物).
Q: How long is the incubation(潜伏) period?
A: Infected people will show symptoms between 3 to 7 days, or 14 days at most. But the incubation period can last for as long as 24 days.
Q: Are there any ways to prevent or treat COVID-19?
A: There is no cure(特效药) for the virus yet. Antibiotics(抗生素) are effective against bacteria, but not viruses. Doctors can only try to treat the symptoms and improve the immune system(免疫系统) with medicine in order to fight the virus.
Source: China daily
36. The coronaviruses was named because of its ________.
A.color | B.shape | C.size | D.symptoms |
37. What do we know about this virus?
A.Children won’t catch this virus. |
B.It is more likely(可能性) for elderly people to catch the corona viruses. |
C.the incubation(潜伏) period can last as long as 7 days. |
D.There have been some cure(特效药) for the virus. |
38. What is the death fatality rates(致死率) of the corona virus?
39. Which one is not a symptom of the new disease?
A.cough | B.breathing difficulties | C.a fever | D.a headache |
40. The virus won’t spread through ________.
A.food you eat |
B.mucus droplets(粘液飞沫) |
C.personal contact |
D.touching an object with viral particles (then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands) |