Coronavirus latest: Dr Hilary offers top tip for avoiding your risk of the deadly virus

What is the virus?

The virus itself is a new coronavirus, a family that normally affects animals.

One human variant causes the common cold, but another, SARS, killed hundreds in a major outbreak in 2003.

This new virus causes severe acute respiratory infection.

Symptoms seem to start with a fever, followed by a dry cough and then, after a week, leads to shortness of breath and some patients needing hospital treatment.

There is no specific cure or vaccine.

source: express.co.uk