The Corona-Virus Out-Break & How to prevent it

The corona-virus outbreak, which originated in China, has infected tens of thousands of people. Its spread has left businesses around the world counting costs.

Here are ten key maps and charts to help you understand the impact seen on different economies and industries so far.

Global shares take a hit

Investors have been worried about the impact of the corona-virus as it spreads outside of China.

Big shifts in stock markets, where shares in companies are bought and sold, can affect investments in some types of pension or individual savings accounts (ISAS).

The FTSE, Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nikkei have all seen sharp falls since the outbreak began. In the second week of March the Dow saw its biggest one day decline since 1987.

The markets overall have seen major swings and continued volatility.

The US central bank has slashed interest rates in response to mounting concerns. That should, in theory, make borrowing cheaper and encourage spending to boost the economy.

Growth could stagnate

If the economy is growing, that generally means more wealth and more new jobs.

It's measured by looking at the percentage change in gross domestic product, or the value of goods and services produced, typically over three months or a year.

The world's economy could grow at its slowest rate since 2009 this year due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The think tank has forecast growth of just 2.4% in 2020, down from 2.9% in November.

It also said that a "longer lasting and more intensive" outbreak could halve growth to 1.5% in 2020 as factories suspend their activity and workers stay at home to try to contain the virus.

Travel among hardest hit

The travel industry has been massively impacted, with airlines cutting flights and tourists cancelling business trips and holidays.

Data from analytics firm ForwardKeys for the period up to 8 March shows international flights booked from the US were behind by 37% in comparison with the same period in 2019.

Restrictions introduced by the Trump administration on travel between the US and European airports, are reducing overall traffic even further.

UK travel industry experts have expressed concerns about Chinese tourists being kept at home. There were 415,000 visits from China to the UK in the 12 months to September 2019, according to VisitBritain. Chinese travellers also spend three times more on an average visit to the UK at £1,680 each.

As more large-scale events are cancelled and the number of flight cancellations increases, there are fears the industry could take a bigger hit.

Many countries have introduced travel restrictions to try to contain the virus's spread.

Factories in China slowed down

China makes up a third of manufacturing globally, and is the world's largest exporter of goods.

But activity decreased in the so-called "workshop of the world" as factories paused their operations to try to contain the spread of Covid-19.

NASA said pollution-monitoring satellites had detected a significant drop in nitrogen dioxide over the country. Evidence suggests that's "at least partly" due to the economic slowdown caused by the outbreak.

Restrictions have affected the supply chains of big companies such as industrial equipment manufacturer JCB and carmaker Nissan. Both rely on China's production and its 300 million migrant workers. Jaguar Land Rover even said it had flown car parts in suitcases as some factories run out of parts for vehicles.

Some bright spots

It can be hard to find positives when people's jobs are affected, or - as in the case of the coronavirus outbreak - lives are being lost.

But in purely business terms, there are some bright spots. Consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser, for example, has seen a boost in sales for its Dettol and Lysol products.

The disinfectant is seen as providing protection against the spread of the disease, although its effectiveness has not yet been scientifically proven.

The price of gold - which is often considered a "safe haven" in times of uncertainty - has also increased. Its spot price hit a seven-year high of $1,682.35 per ounce in February.

Investors are looking to it amid fears the coronavirus spread outside of China will further hit the global economy and demand.

What you need to know about coronavirus (COVID-19)

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a new virus. Symptoms include fever, coughing, sore throat and shortness of breath. The virus can spread from person to person, but good hygiene can prevent infection. Find out who is at risk and what you should do if you think you have COVID-19. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause respiratory infections. These can range from the common cold to more serious diseases.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by a new coronavirus. It was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan City in China.

Symptoms

Symptoms can range from mild illness to pneumonia. Some people will recover easily, and others may get very sick very quickly.

People with coronavirus may experience:

• fever
• flu-like symptoms such as coughing, sore throat and fatigue
• shortness of breath

How it spreads

The virus can spread from person to person through:

• close contact with an infectious person (including in the 24 hours before they started showing symptoms)
• contact with droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze
• touching objects or surfaces (like doorknobs or tables) that have cough or sneeze droplets from an infected person, and then touching your mouth or face

COVID-19 is a new disease, so there is no existing immunity in our community. This means that COVID-19 could spread widely and quickly.

Protect yourself and others

To prevent the spread of viruses, practice good hygiene and social distancing.

You should also follow our advice for travellers and advice for public gatherings and visits to vulnerable groups.

Good hygiene

Everyone must practice good hygiene to protect against infection and prevent the virus spreading.

Good hygiene includes:

• covering your coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue
• disposing of tissues properly
• washing your hands often with soap and water, including before and after eating and after going to the toilet
• using alcohol-based hand sanitizers
• cleaning and disinfecting surfaces
• if you are sick, avoiding contact with others and staying more than 1.5 meters away from people
• cleaning and sanitizing frequently used objects such as mobiles, keys and wallets

Read more about protective measures against coronavirus on the World Health Organization website.

If you have a confirmed case, you need to self-quarantine to prevent it spreading to other people.

Social distancing

One way to slow the spread of viruses is social distancing. For example:

• staying at home when you are unwell
• avoiding large public gatherings if they’re not essential
• keeping a distance of 1.5 meters between you and other people whenever possible
• minimizing physical contact, especially with people at higher risk such as older people and people with existing health conditions

Find out more about social distancing and avoiding public gatherings and visits to vulnerable groups.

Vaccination

There is no vaccine for COVID-19, but there is one for the flu.

You should get your flu shot when it’s available. Getting the flu and COVID-19 at the same time can make you very ill.

Scientists from around the world are working on developing a vaccine. The World Health Organisation believes this may be available within 18 months.