Rarely does a disease spread fast enough and is labeled dangerous enough that it quickly gets the attention of the World Health Organization. A coronavirus, which has killed several people in China and has spread to other Asian countries, qualifies. If the disease moves to nations outside Asia and the death toll rises, it could become an international health emergency. Among the issues at stake is that it could affect populations around the world and curtail travel.
The coronavirus causes deadly pneumonia. It is found in both humans and animals. While it can cause colds, it may be best known for causing the SARS epidemic of 2002.
The WHO will meet on Wednesday to decide whether to put its considerable resources against the spread of the virus, which has already moved to Japan, South Korea and Thailand.
Among the worries about the virus is that it has no cure. The other is that it can spread very rapidly. The last is that it is very deadly, though not, apparently, as deadly as SARS. It is not hard to imagine that the disease could spread across Asia and beyond.
The National Center for Biotechnology said in a report about the SARS epidemic of 2002:
The SARS epidemic was not simply a public health problem. Indeed, it caused the most severe socio-political crisis for the Chinese leadership since the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. Outbreak of the disease fueled fears among economists that China’s economy was headed for a serious downturn.
An extremely serious outbreak of the new disease could have consequences similar to 2002. That is why the incident has gotten so much coverage and poses such a considerable threat.
24/7 Wall St.The Average American Is Losing Momentum On Their Savings Every Day (Sponsor)
If you’re like many Americans and keep your money ‘safe’ in a checking or savings account, think again. The average yield on a savings account is a paltry .4%1 today. Checking accounts are even worse.
But there is good news. To win qualified customers, some accounts are paying more than 7x the national average. That’s an incredible way to keep your money safe and earn more at the same time. Our top pick for high yield savings accounts includes other benefits as well. You can earn a $200 bonus and up to 7X the national average with qualifying deposits. Terms apply. Member, FDIC.
Click here to see how much more you could be earning on your savings today. It takes just a few minutes to open an account to make your money work for you.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
Our expert who first called NVIDIA in 2009 is predicting 2025 will see a historic AI breakthrough.
You can follow him investing $500,000 of his own money on our top AI stocks for free.