Coronavirus Update: What Students Should Know

Coronavirus Update: Answering Questions for Students

The World Health Organization has now declared the coronavirus outbreak in China to be a global health emergency. Officials in China confirmed more than 7,800 cases today (updated from video which states 6,000), with 212 deaths. The WHO said the virus is spreading worldwide, despite China’s efforts. “It’s not actually because China is not doing what it can. It’s actually doing more than China is required to do,” according to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). Meanwhile, health officials reported the first case of the virus spreading person-to-person in the United States. A Chicago man contracted it from his wife, who had been to China. The U.S. now has six confirmed cases in all. Watch the video and answer the questions. You can turn on the “CC” (closed-captions) function and read along with the transcript here. Update to video: WHO has declared the coronavirus a global health emergency.

Coronavirus Update: Discussion Questions

1. Focus question: What are some of the challenges related to infectious diseases? (see WHO’s definition here.)
2. What is a virus? What do you know about the coronavirus? What are some of the challenges for containing the virus in China?
3. What are organizations like WHO and the CDC doing to help address the coronavirus in China and across the world, including the US? Why do authorities try to tamp down fears of a virus spreading while still raising awareness?
4. Did you know that the flu virus took more than 30,000 lives in the U.S. last year. How does that affect your view of this story?
5. What steps do you think scientists take when exploring a new virus, such as the coronavirus? Where could you look, if you’re not sure?
6. Media literacy: Why might it be helpful to check science-based websites like STAT news and Science News, in addition to general news websites when learning about the coronavirus?

Coronavirus Update: Extension Activities

• How novel coronavirus could affect the global economy by Gretchen Frazee
• First U.S. human-to-human spread of novel coronavirus confirmed by Laura Sanatham
• Track the spread of novel coronavirus with this map by Laura Sanatham

This week has seen the rapid spread of novel coronavirus both within China and internationally to at least 14 other countries. On Thursday, the World Health Organization declared it a global public health emergency. As the U.S. records its first confirmed person-to-person transmission, NewsHour’s William Brangham talks to Dr. Anthony Fauci of NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

This article was originally published by PBS NewsHour Extra and can be found here.