: What We Know More than 100 people have now died from the new coronavirus. The number of people 1.______________ in mainland China increased sharply in one day -- from 2,700 Monday to more than 4,500 Tuesday. The increase comes even as China takes strong 2.____________ to contain the spread of the disease. What is a coronavirus? Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause disease in mammals and birds. Coronaviruses can cause illnesses that range from the common cold to much more 3.____________ illnesses like Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). 4.______________ still do not have a clear picture of the severity of the new coronavirus. What is a new coronavirus? Officials are calling the disease a “novel” or new coronavirus because it has not been found before in humans. The newly 5.____________ virus is thought to have spread to humans from wild animals sold at a market in Wuhan, in central China’s Hubei province. But it is now spreading between people. Chinese officials say the disease is able to spread from one person to another even before any actual signs appear. This makes it especially hard to 6._______________. What are the signs of the new coronavirus? Signs of the disease among infected patients have included fever, cough, shortness of breath and general breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, the virus can cause 7._____________. Some people report few or no signs, while others have gotten very sick or even died. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that signs of the virus may appear between two and 14 days after being near someone who is infected. Treatment and Prevention There is no special treatment for the new coronavirus. However, many of its 8._____________ are treatable, as long as a patient is in fair health. Because the virus is so new among humans, there is no 9.____________ vaccine to protect against the disease. But the World Health Organization advises people to avoid close contact with anyone showing signs of a breathing sickness, such as coughing or sneezing. It also says people should wash their hands often and use safe food practices. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control also published prevention tips. It says to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water; avoid touching your face with unwashed hands; stay home when you are sick; and clean 10.___________ and surfaces that are touched often.