2019 NOVEL
CORONAVIRUS TIMELINE
DEC 31, 2019
Pneumonia of unknown
etiology emerges in
Wuhan City, Hubei
Province, China.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
From December 31, 2019 through January 3, 2020, a total of 44 case-patients with
pneumonia of unknown etiology were reported to the World Health Organization
(WHO) by national authorities in China. The Chinese quickly isolated a new
coronavirus on January 7, 2020, and by January 20th, there were 282 confirmed
infected cases. The new virus named SARs CoV-2, was first detected in Wuhan City,
Hubei Province, China, and continues to spread throughout the mainland there. Just a
little over a month later, this novel coronavirus, infected over 42,000 people in China,
causing 1,017 deaths there, and has spread globally causing a pandemic.
The first U.S. case was reported on January 22 and subsequently confirmed by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The illness onset was marked as
early as January 14th. By February 10, 2020, there were 13 confirmed cases identified in
Washington, California, Arizona, Illinois, and Massachusetts. Currently, all states in the
U.S., the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are affected.
JAN 3, 2020
The virus itself, called SARS CoV-2 is a new coronavirus in that it has not been
previously recognized in humans. Early cases were thought to have crossed over from
an animal, such as a camel, cow, cat, or bat, because many of those that were first
infected were exposed to a large seafood and live animal market in Wuhan. The animal
source has not yet been identified. COVID-19 is a betacoronavirus like Middle East
Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS-CoV), both of which have their origin in bats. We now know that human to
human transmission is occurring.
Chinese authorities
alert WHO that a
group of 44 patients are
sick with pneumonia.
JAN 7, 2020
The Chinese authorities
isolate a new coronavirus.
JAN 20, 2020
The official name for the disease caused by SARS CoV-2 is COVID-19. ‘CO’ stands for
‘corona’, ‘VI’ for ‘virus,’ and ‘D’ for ‘disease’. COVID-19 causes respiratory illness with
symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath with symptoms ranging from mild, as
with the common cold, to deadly. Risk is higher in those individuals over 60 years of age
and those with compromised immune systems. The most common laboratory findings
among hospitalized patients with pneumonia on admission included leukopenia,
leukocytosis, lymphopenia, elevated alanine aminotransferase and aspartate
aminotransferase levels. Most patients show bilateral involvement on chest CT.
Typically there are multiple areas of consolidation and ground glass opacities.
Currently there is no effective vaccine or antiviral agent for this infection, and treatment
is supportive to manage symptoms. Clinical management guidelines include information in
the following links:
282 cases are
confirmed in China.
• Surviving Sepsis guidelines for septic shock
• WHO interim guidance on clinical management of severe acute respiratory infection
when novel coronavirus (nCoV) infection is suspected
JAN 22, 2020
First confirmed case in the
U.S. in a patient who
traveled from China.
APRIL 13, 2020
U.S. confirmed cases:
554,849
U.S. deaths:
21,942
GLOBAL:
1,773,084 cases
111,652 deaths
• Diagnosis and Treatment of Adults with Community-acquired Pneumonia. An Official
Clinical Practice Guideline of the American Thoracic Society and Infectious Diseases
Society of America
Corticosteroids should be avoided unless there is an indication to manage
conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or septic shock,
because there is potential for prolonging viral replication as has been
observed in MERs-CoV patients.
IDENTIFY, ISOLATE, AND INFORM
There are several situations which increase the risk of exposure to COVID-19. You are
at an elevated risk if you are:
• A healthcare worker caring for patients with COVID-19
• Living, working or spending time in communities* which are highly populated
and have an intense and ongoing spread of SARS CoV-2 (e.g. New York city,
Chicago, New Jersey)
• A close contact of someone who has COVID-19, such as family member
• A traveler who is returning from international location where there is
community spread
*You can check the case count in your community by going to your state website and
clicking on the county list or state county map.
This is an ever-evolving disaster due to new findings and
data and availability of resources, so refer to the CDC
website for detailed information when you need it.
HealthStream.com/contact • 800.521.0574 •