According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),”Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause respiratory illness such as the common cold.”
Scientists believe that this particular Coronavirus originated in Wuhan, China at the end of 2019. The virus is on the move and The World Health Organization fears the infection will continue to rise as millions of people travel. The outbreak has killed 18 people and infected over 600.
Check out the MVCC databases for more information on this topic. Also, you may want to read or listen to some novels that use an epidemic as an integral part of the plot. The Andromeda Strain, The Stand and Outbreak by Robin Cook are some of my favorites.