This week marks 100 days since World Health Organisation (WHO), received the first report of an unidentified illness affecting a large number of people in Wuhan, China.
Since then, the WHO has declared Coronavirus a pandemic and claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people around the globe.
How far have we come from December 31st last year? And what do we know about Covid-19,
A glass sculpture of Covid-19 (Ben Birchall/PA).
What is Covid-19?
Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that can cause illness in animals and humans.
Seven types of cancer have been identified in people, including those that caused the Sars and Mers epidemics and Covid-19.
Early reports suggest that the current virus is more contagious to Sars than Sars. One person can infect three others.
Coronaviruses can cause intestinal and respiratory illnesses in animals and humans.
– Where did coronavirus originate?
The current pandemic of coronavirus disease is Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-2CoV-2) was first reported in Wuhan, China.
The outbreak may have originated in Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market which sold live animals.
Covid-19 is thought to be zoonotic in origin. This means that it was active in animals before being transmitted to humans.
It could have been originated in bats and pangolins, according to unconfirmed reports.
(PA Graphics)
– Is there any treatment or vaccination for coronavirus?
Researchers around the world are working to develop a vaccine or treatment for coronavirus.
Experts seem to agree that a vaccine is the best way to escape the disease.
Although it is possible for a vaccine to be approved in an emergency situation before the end of this year, most scientists agree that it will take around 12 months before one becomes widely available.
– When will the pandemic stop?
There are signs that infection rates are dropping in certain countries, such as China, but this is after months of lockdown that restricted people from moving about.
There are only a few options to get out of this crisis: vaccination, sufficient people developing immunity through infection, permanent lifestyle changes, and keeping some of the existing measures in place.
It may take 12-18 months for a vaccine to become available. Herd immunity may take years to develop.
Although the UK Government insists that this is not a policy goal, it could become a reality over time.
