Experts prepare but new China virus not a pandemic yet

Health authorities are preparing for a possible pandemic as they work to contain a respiratory illness in China that's caused by a new virus. Governments are limiting travel, isolating sick people and keeping travelers returning from the affected region under quarantine to watch for symptoms.

Here's what you should know about the illness:

IS IT A PANDEMIC?

Not yet. The virus is an epidemic in China, where more than 17,000 cases have been reported, but has not affected enough people around the globe to be considered a pandemic. So far, other countries have reported only a few dozen cases, most involving travelers returning from China and their close contacts.

And while there have been more than 360 deaths, all but one has been in China.

Based on the way the virus spread in China, investigators believe each infection has led to an average of 2.2 others getting sick. That's a bit more than ordinary flu but less than SARS, severe acute respiratory syndrome, a genetic cousin of the new virus.

Governments are preparing for a possible pandemic and taking actions to prevent one.

The World Health Organization designates a pandemic when there are outbreaks on at least two continents. So far, WHO has called this a “public health emergency of international concern.”

The 2009 H1N1 influenza virus reached pandemic level. Now, H1N1 is a regular flu virus that circulates around the globe seasonally.

WHAT IS THE NEW VIRUS?

Scientists have identified it as a new coronavirus. The name comes from the Latin word for crowns or halos, which coronaviruses resemble under a microscope. The coronavirus family has many types that affect people. Some cause the common cold while others originating in bats, camels and other animals have evolved into more severe illnesses such as SARS or MERS,...