In this week's coverage of the coronavirus epidemic, the TWiV team discusses the fatality rate, China's initial reaction to the outbreak, conspiracy theories, how long the virus remains infectious on surfaces, and evidence for virus in the intestinal tract.

Links for This Episode

• China reacted too slowly to epidemic (NY Times) 15:40
• Wuhan rounds up infected (NY Times) 17:07
• 2019-nCoV asymptomatic transmission report flawed (Science) 31:00, 34:13
• Mucus reduces effectiveness of alcohol gels (mSphere) 48:35
• SARS-CoV in feces (NEJM, Gastroenterology) 1:03:30
• Inadequate plumbing and spread of SARS-CoV (WHO) 1:04:26
• Persistence of virus on surfaces (one, two, three, four) 1:09:24
• Letters read on TWiV 586 34:10, 35:21, 1:06:21
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Science Picks 1:49:31

Brianne – Mutation, Adaptation, and Virus Genomes
Alan – The Comet
Rich – Finding Your Roots: Science Pioneers
Dickson – Let’s Fill Our Cities With Taller, Wooden Buildings
Vincent – Twenty-first century plague by Thomas Abraham

Listener Pick

Mark – Tracking CoV infections
Sophia – Legislative approaches to immunization

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Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees.

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

• COVID-19
• Clinical & Public Health Microbiology
• Podcast