Sky Eclat
JF-Expert Member
- Oct 17, 2012
- 57,761
- 216,011
It feels like an eternity ago, but the world only became aware of the coronavirus in December.
Despite incredible efforts by scientists around the world, there is still much we do not understand, and we are all now part of a planet-wide experiment trying to find answers.
Here are some of the big outstanding questions.
1. How many people have been infected
It is one of the most basic questions, but also one of the most crucial.
There have been hundreds of thousands of confirmed cases around the world, but this is only a fraction of the total number of infections. And the figures are further confused by an unknown number of asymptomatic cases - people who have the virus but don't feel ill.
Developing an antibody test will allow researchers to see whether anyone has had the virus. Only then will we understand how far or how easily the coronavirus is spreading.
2. How deadly it really is
Until we know how many cases there have been, it is impossible to be certain of the death rate. At the moment the estimate is that around 1% of people infected with the virus die. But if there are large numbers of asymptomatic patients, the death rate could be lower.
3. The full range of symptoms
The main symptoms of coronavirus are a fever and a dry cough - these are the ones you should be on the look out for.
A sore throat, headache and diarrhoea have also been reported in some cases and there is mounting speculation that a loss of sense of smell may affect some.
But the most important question is whether mild, cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose or sneezing, are present in some patients.
Studies have suggested this is a possibility and that people could potentially be infectious without knowing they are carrying the virus.
Despite incredible efforts by scientists around the world, there is still much we do not understand, and we are all now part of a planet-wide experiment trying to find answers.
Here are some of the big outstanding questions.
1. How many people have been infected
It is one of the most basic questions, but also one of the most crucial.
There have been hundreds of thousands of confirmed cases around the world, but this is only a fraction of the total number of infections. And the figures are further confused by an unknown number of asymptomatic cases - people who have the virus but don't feel ill.
Developing an antibody test will allow researchers to see whether anyone has had the virus. Only then will we understand how far or how easily the coronavirus is spreading.
2. How deadly it really is
Until we know how many cases there have been, it is impossible to be certain of the death rate. At the moment the estimate is that around 1% of people infected with the virus die. But if there are large numbers of asymptomatic patients, the death rate could be lower.
3. The full range of symptoms
The main symptoms of coronavirus are a fever and a dry cough - these are the ones you should be on the look out for.
A sore throat, headache and diarrhoea have also been reported in some cases and there is mounting speculation that a loss of sense of smell may affect some.
But the most important question is whether mild, cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose or sneezing, are present in some patients.
Studies have suggested this is a possibility and that people could potentially be infectious without knowing they are carrying the virus.
