Coronavirus: Your Children’s Questions Answered

Where did this virus originate?

This virus originated in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Chinese officials claim that the outbreak started in a wildlife market (Chinese people eat all sorts of creepy crawlies), and that it most likely came from bats.  Officials from other countries accuse China of having created this virus in a lab in Wuhan, which somehow leaked to the outside world.

Which countries have been affected so far?

At the time of writing, 116 countries on most continents (besides Antarctica) have at least one case of coronavirus. By the time you read this, the numbers are likely to have changed significantly, but right now there have been more than 120,000 infected people worldwide, of which more than 4,600 people have died. Almost 70,000 people have recovered from the illness.

Is it dangerous?

The vast majority of people who catch COVID-19 (the official name) will recover. But it can be dangerous for certain members of the population, like the elderly, people with cancer, or other people who have a weakened immune system. It’s important to be extra careful if you are going to be in the vicinity of such people. 

What are the symptoms?

Most infected people present with symptoms such as fever, cough and difficulty breathing. However, some infected people don’t present with any symptoms at all. Young children and babies seem to get very mild symptoms.