The world seems to be obsessed by the news regarding the outbreak (the start of a disease) of coronavirus. In our school in Spain, where we’re learning Spanish together with people from China, Japan, Italy and other countries, this issue is being discussed almost every class.
You might check out the news in English to find out more information and guidance from World Health Organization, for instance. And I’ll help you with the vocabulary for talking about deseases.
The virus is extremely infectious - it passes very easily from one person to another.
Besides, carriers - people who have it and may pass it to others - aren’t aware that they are carriers, because the incubation period - the period between catching the illness and showing symptoms - is up to 14 days.
Patients show/display the following symptoms - signs that they are ill: a fever 🤒, cough 🤭 and respiratory difficulty - problems with breathing.
In Spain there have been several cases - people who have a disease. In China there is a spike in cases - unusually high number.
The mortality rate - proportion of people who die from it - is relatively low, about 3,5%, but the death toll - the number of people who have died (about 3000 people worldwide) doesn’t look so innocent.
As a result some countries might close their borders - stop letting people from other countries in and some airlines have suspended flights - stopped flying - to China and South Korea. People returning from a dangerous area may be asked to self-quarantine - stay away from other people, stay at home. Italian football fans were put in quarantine in Spain last week.
Meanwhile, the scientists from Israel are promising to develop a vaccine against coronavirus in two weeks.
So, let’s hope for the better.
And let us stay safe and healthy!