New coronavirus similar to 2002 SARS outbreak: How deadly was the previous virus?

Based on their structural analyses, researchers predicted that the Wuhan coronavirus uses ACE2 as its host receptor, similar to SARS virus.

By: Longjam Dineshwori | | Updated: February 3, 2020 10:39 am

The outbreak has also spread to more than 25 countries and territories worldwide.

The novel coronavirus outbreak has so far killed 259 people in China, besides others worldwide. As of Saturday, the new coronavirus has infected a total of 11,791 people, mostly from China where it first emerged in December. Also Read - Maintain social distancing of minimum 20 feet to be safe from COVID-19

Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Minnesota in US have revealed a new finding related to this deadly virus. They have found that the mechanics of infection displayed by the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) are similar to that of the 2002-03 SARS outbreak — also a coronavirus. They claimed that both viruses use same enzyme to gain entry into a cell. Also Read - COVID 19 transmission: Don’t let this infection in through your eyes

The researchers used the knowledge they gleaned from multiple SARS-CoV strains and angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptors from different animal species to model predictions for the novel coronavirus. Based on their structural analyses, they predicted that the Wuhan coronavirus uses ACE2 as its host receptor, similar to SARS virus. Also Read - COVID-19 in India: Over 6,000 cases reported every day, recovery rate rises to over 42 %

The study, published in the Journal of Virology, provides the basic, translational and public health research communities with predictive insights that may help study and battle this novel coronavirus.

How deadly was the SARS outbreak?

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause diseases ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Wuhan coronavirus or nCoV-2019 is the latest member of this family (number seventh) and the most severe one. Other deadly viruses of this family include Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).

In late 2003, SARS-CoV first infected people in the Guangdong province of southern China and spread to more than two dozen countries, killing nearly 800. Following detailed investigations, researchers found that SARS-CoV transmitted from civet cats to humans. They assumed that civet cats got infected from bats – which are frequent carriers hosts of coronaviruses.

As per WHO report, transmission of SARS-CoV is primarily from person to person. The transmission occurred mainly during the second week of illness, when virus excretion in respiratory secretions and stool is at the peak. Lack of adequate infection control precautions led to more cases of human-to-human transmission in the health care setting. With the implementation of appropriate infection control practices, the global outbreak was finally brought to an end. No cases of SARS have been reported worldwide since 2004.

With inputs from IANS

Published : February 2, 2020 1:30 pm | Updated:February 3, 2020 10:39 am

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