As of February 26, 81,008 coronavirus cases have been confirmed worldwide, resulting in 2,763 deaths. According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 30,000 patients have already recovered.
The outbreak began in Wuhan, China, but has spread to over 30 countries, with more than 30 deaths reported outside China. In Europe, Italy—the most impacted—reached 400 cases and 12 deaths by Wednesday evening. In France, there are now 18 confirmed cases and 2 deaths, including a 60-year-old man announced on February 26; 4 people remain hospitalized.
Symptoms are often flu-like: headache, fatigue, runny nose, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, chest pain, and muscle aches. In severe cases, COVID-19 (named for its 2019 emergence) can lead to high fever, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute kidney failure, or multiple organ failure, which may be fatal.
The World Health Organization estimates the incubation period (time from infection to first symptoms) ranges from 1 to 12.5 days, with a median of 5 to 6 days.
The French Ministry of Solidarity and Health advises calling SAMU at 15 if you suspect exposure. Report symptoms and recent travel to affected areas: mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, South Korea, Italy's Lombardy and Veneto regions, or Iran.
For context, seasonal flu affects about 1 billion people annually, causing 290,000 to 650,000 deaths. Europe sees around 60,000 flu deaths yearly, as WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge recently noted in Rome.
