On 31 December 2019, a cluster of pneumonia of unknown aetiology was reported in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. On 9 January Chinese authorities reported in the media that the cause of this viral pneumonia was initially identified as a new type of coronavirus, which is different from any other human coronaviruses discovered so far. Coronaviruses are a large family of respiratory viruses that can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to the Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
The clinical signs and symptoms of the patients reported in this cluster are mainly fever, with a few patients having difficulty in breathing and chest radiographs showing bilateral lung infiltrates. From the currently available information, preliminary investigation suggests that there is no significant human-to-human transmission.
International travellers: practice usual precautions
While the cause of pneumonia seems to be a novel coronavirus, transmission potential and modes of transmission remain unclear. Therefore, it would be prudent to reduce the general risk of acute respiratory infections while travelling in or from affected areas (currently Wuhan City) by:
· avoiding close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections;
· frequent hand-washing, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment;
· avoiding close contact with live or dead farm or wild animals;
· travellers with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands).
WHO does not recommend any specific health measures for travellers.
