NATIONAL -- In recent weeks, a new respiratory virus, known as the 'Coronavirus' was identified in China. According to the CDC, the virus has made its way to the U.S., as the first case was confirmed in Washington on Tuesday. Cleveland Clinic doctors said the Coronavirus is part of a large family of viruses, that range in severity from the common cold to severe disease.
Dr. Steven Gordon, Cleveland Clinic, said, "The Coronavirus, for those that don't know, it's one of the causes of the common cold, but this novel Coronavirus, meaning one that has not been seen before, was attributed to a lot of cases of upper respiratory tract infection – some pneumonias were reported."
The Coronavirus can be spread by both animals and people. It's in the same category of infections as severe acute respiratory syndrome. Symptoms of the Coronavirus are what you would expect from a typical upper respiratory virus - including cough and fever.
Doctors report that the best way to protect against the virus, is to practice good cold and flu season hygiene. They add that washing hands thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is recommended.
"Cough into a tissue, if not, cough into your sleeve," Gordon said. "Good hand hygiene, in this regard, obviously, in terms of, if you're feeling not well, don't go to work, in this regard, whether or not it's something that's extremely contagious or not."
According to the World Health Organization, the Coronavirus has claimed multiple lives, and has sickened more than 400. U.S. scientists from the National Institutes of Health are already working on a vaccine for the virus.
