For cancer survivors with compromised immune systems, news that the coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, is spreading at a rapid pace is likely a growing source of anxiety. Below, we walk you through the news, and share some pointers for reducing your risk of catching the illness.
Where Things Stand
A majority of the reported cases — as of Tuesday evening, the death toll reached 132, and the number of confirmed cases neared 6,000 — are in mainland China. There have been five cases of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (or 2019-nCoV, as it has yet to be given a catchier nickname) reported in the U.S. Additionally, The New York Times reports, the U.S. is expanding the screening of travelers arriving from Wuhan to 20 airports and land crossings.
Is the New Coronavirus Deadly?
Read More“What we have seen with this [current] coronavirus is [nearly] 30 casualties out of 900 cases,” Dr. Mishra notes. “So with simple math, the mortality rate is about 3% for this virus. Most of the deaths have been older people who already have underlying illnesses or they are old and their immunity is not strong.”
Friday morning, former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told CNBC this as well, noting that while the flu-like virus is probably more contagious than SARS was, it’s likely less severe.
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How Worried Should We Be About the Coronavirus Spreading Throughout the U.S.?
So far, the Centers for Disease Control says the risk of contracting the coronavirus is low for the general American public.
And Gottlieb, who sits on the board at Pfizer, told CNBC, “We probably will have some isolated outbreaks [in the U.S.], but that doesn’t mean it’ll translate to an epidemic.”
But predicting how serious the spread of the virus will become is difficult, he said. “The question is, has it achieved [that] sort of that golden point where it’s contagious enough to spread rapidly, but still severe enough to cause a lot of harm? We don’t know that yet.”
What are the Symptoms of Coronavirus?
Symptoms of the virus can be similar to those of the flu or the common cold, according to the CDC, such as:
- Runny nose
- Headache
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Fever
Human coronaviruses can sometimes cause lower-respiratory tract illnesses, such as pneumonia or bronchitis.
If you’re concerned, the CDC recommends that you see your healthcare provider, who may order laboratory tests on respiratory specimens and serum (part of your blood). Be sure to tell them about any recent travel.
How to Increase Your Chances of Not Catching a Virus
Dr. Mishra points out that those with compromised immune systems should avoid traveling to areas that the virus is known to be.
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“If these people want to travel to the places where this virus has already been an outbreak, or they come in contact with people who have traveled in those cities or countries, they should be cautious because it is quite possible that the same virus load will not be harmful to healthy adults, but that virus [could affect] those people who have compromised immunity,” he says.
“Walking around in the market [or] street, I think that is fine,” Dr. Mishra says. “We don't need to apply any kind of [precaution] like the people are in China because that is where it's circulating.”
Health officials are also urging those who have traveled to affected countries to be cautious and to be aware of symptoms over the next few weeks, but no warning has been issued at this time for the general public.
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