Updated January 30th, 2020 at 13:47 IST

10-year-old boy raises fear coronavirus could spread undetected

The confirmed case of a 10-year-old boy raised concern that the people may be spreading the deadly coronavirus undetected by the screening methods incorporated.

Reported by: Sounak Mitra
| Image:self
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The confirmed case of a 10-year-old boy who was was diagnosed with the deadly coronavirus showed no initial symptoms at all. It raised concern that the people may be spreading the virus undetected by the screening methods incorporated to contain the epidemic. The boy visited relatives with his family in the central Chinese city over the New Year. His parents and grandparents fell ill and were treated when they returned to their hometown.

READ: WHO Urges World To Take Actions Amid The Spread Of Deadly Coronavirus

10-year-old boy showed no symptoms

The 10-year-old boy appeared healthy and was diagnosed with the deadly virus after his parents insisted he too was tested. In addition, his doctors said that he was shedding virus without any symptoms. Ralph Baric, professor of microbiology and immunology at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, reportedly said that people may have mild disease spreaders that would be feeding sort of a community outbreak and they don't go to the hospital because they don't feel that bad. The case of the boy was to first to demonstrate person-to-person and healthcare-associated spread of the newly identified virus, dubbed 2019-nCoV.

READ: Coronavirus Death Toll Reaches 170, Over 1,700 New Cases Reported

WHO urges world to take actions

The rapid spread of the virus has raised concerns and fears which has already spread to 15 countries claiming lives of 170 and infecting more than 7000 people. The World Health Organisation (WHO) on January 29 urged all the governments to take action over the outbreak of deadly coronavirus spreading from China, as several foreigners were evacuated from the epicentre of the outbreak. The deadly disease has claimed 170 lives and infected more than 7700 people in the country. WHO has called for an emergency meeting to be held on Thursday over whether the viral epidemic should be declared a global health emergency. The chief of the organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in Geneva that WHO is monitoring each and every moment of the day.

READ: US: Evacuees From Wuhan Show No Signs Of Coronavirus Infection, Say Health Officials

READ: India Among Top 30 Countries At 'high Risk' From Coronavirus Spread: Study

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Published January 30th, 2020 at 13:47 IST