Insight Into a Mystery Illness

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Good afternoon, readers.

There’s been a curious (and concerning) pneumonia-like outbreak in China—and we may finally have some clues as to what’s causing it.

China’s Xinhua news agency reports that the lung illness, which has affected about 60 people so far, may be linked to a new form of coronavirus (a biological suspect that was already under investigation by the World Health Organization, as the BBC notes). The coronavirus is one that can cause a broad range of respiratory and sinus conditions—but the gravity of the situation can fluctuate significantly depending on the precise strain.

This process needs to play itself out given the nature of viruses and their various mutations, which can affect everything from emergency response to a basic understanding of how a specific pathogen spreads. In the meantime, according to the BBC, certain travelers and passengers in China will go through health screenings.

Read on for the day’s news.

Sy Mukherjee
sayak.mukherjee@fortune.com
@the_sy_guy

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