We ’ve all heard about it , and now we can see it . Images of thenewly namedvirus SARS - CoV-2 ( previously called 2019 - nCoV ) , the cause of the mortal COVID-19 disease , have beenreleasedby the National Institute of Allergy and infective disease ’ Rocky Mountain Laboratories ( NIAID RML ) .
Scanning and transmission negatron microscopeswere used to look at a sample of the virus from a US patient , provide by RML researcher Dr Emmie de Wit . The microscopes work by focusing a beam of electrons onto the sample , and then observe either the reflected electrons ( scanning ) or those negatron that have passed through ( transmission ) to create an image . After microscopist Elizabeth Fischer produced the images , the RML visual aesculapian arts office digitally colorized them .
As of today , February 17 , the expiry toll from COVID-19stands at 1,775 , over 1,000 more last than from the severe acute respiratory syndrome(SARS ) outbreakin 2002 - 2003 .
harmonize to NIAID the “ genetically faithful ” SARS - CoV , andMERS - CoV(Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus , which emerge in 2012 ) , do not look much different to the image of the novel coronavirus . “ The spike on the control surface of coronaviruses give this virus family its name – corona , which is Latin for “ crown , ” NIAIDsaid . Therefore almost all coronaviruses will hold this distinctive feature .
After reports of COVID-19 cases"stabilizing"earlier this workweek , the course has not continued . TheWorld Health Organization(WHO ) , have say that the increase of reported cases is “ mostly down to a change in how cases are being diagnosed and reported . ”
They name to alteration last hebdomad in the Hubei province , where the computer virus originated . Now “ clinical lawsuit ” , where affected role exhibit all thesymptomsof the coronavirus , including fever , coughing , and curtness of breath , but have not been corroborate by lab tests , are include in the overall count .
Last workweek , a London - based start testing anew coronavirus vaccineon mice , whilst Hong Kong official investigated whether the disease can spread viaventilation systems .
