How contagious is the new coronavirus?

Infectious disease and virus specialists say the scale of the current coronavirus outbreak that originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan points to “self-sustaining” human-to-human transmission


COMPARISON OF REPRODUCTION NUMBERS FOR SELECTED DISEASES
Average number of other people that one infected person will infect


Measles 		12-18
Smallpox 		5-7
Polio			5-7
Mumps 			4-7
HIV / AIDS		2-5
SARS* coronavirus	2-5
Influenza		2-3
Ebola			1.5-2.5
New coronavirus 	1.4-2.5†
(2019-nCoV)

*Severe acute respiratory syndrome

†Based on WHO estimate as of Jan 23


2019-nCoV: Belongs to family of viruses that get their name from their spherical structure, featuring crown-like spikes on outer shell

Signs of infection: Include fever, coughing, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Severe cases can cause pneumonia, kidney failure and death

Transmission: Via droplets when infected person breathes out, coughs or sneezes. It can also spread via contaminated surfaces such as door handles or railings


CORONAVIRUS ANATOMY

Spike glycoprotein: Affects way that virus binds to host cell and infects it

RNA: Viral ribonucleic acid carries genetic blueprint

Capsid
Protein shell protects RNA

Incubation period: 1-14 days. Spread may occur before symptoms show, according to some accounts

Source: Virus linked to Wuhan live animal market. “Recombination” (mixing) within spike glycoprotein may have allowed cross-species transmission from snake to human


Sources: Journal of Medical Virology, Reuters, Statista 
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