Coronavirus Spreads to the UK

Coronavirus is officially a global health emergency, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). After breaking out at the end of 2019, the deadly virus has spread outside of China and even into the UK.

What is Coronavirus?

Broadly speaking, coronaviruses are a group of RNA viruses that are linked with a range of diseases in animals and humans. The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) refers to a specific outbreak that causes a respiratory infection. Specifically, it’s a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA coronavirus.

It originated in Wuhan when people began developing pneumonia. There was no clear cause and none of the existing treatments worked against the symptoms – which include fever, shortness of breath, coughing and diarrhea. Those with a severe coronavirus infection can even suffer from pneumonia and kidney failure.

Who is affected?

Coronavirus can affect anyone, regardless of age, sex or health. After breaking out in Wuhan, there have been over 17,000 confirmed cases across every province-level part of China. However, the virus has also spread to neighbouring countries with Thailand, Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong all having at least 15 confirmed cases.

In January, it spread much further afield to Australia, the US and Germany. To date, the virus has confirmed cases in 27 countries, including the UK. Two Chinese nationals – one a student at the University of York, the other a relative – were diagnosed with the virus after being taken ill at a York hotel.

A further 94 Britons have also been evacuated from Wuhan and taken to the Wirral’s Arrowe Park Hospital. They will spend two weeks in quarantine, with the virus thought to have an incubation period between two and 14 days.

What next?

With 362 confirmed deaths and many more expected, the race is on to find out more about the disease. Doctors can diagnose the virus using both respiratory and blood samples, with results in a few days or even hours. But while over-the-counter flu medications, rest and plenty of fluids can alleviate some of the symptoms, there is no known medication or cure for the virus.

With regards to prevention, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations is aiming to fast-track a vaccine within six to eight months. The UK has recently invested £20 million in the project, the timeline of which has been described as "unprecedented" and "extremely ambitious".

For more insight into the pharmaceutical analysis that will be key in the coming months, check out the article ‘The Importance of Comminution in Pharmaceutical Analysis’.