The coronavirus and other outbreaks are hard to contain. Here’s why.

As of early February 2020, tens of thousands of people worldwide were infected with a new strain of coronavirus. Officials are taking “unprecedented” actions to contain the unpredictable spread of the infectious disease.

Coronaviruses range from the common cold to much more serious diseases that can infect both humans and animals, including severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, and Middle East respiratory syndrome, also known as MERS. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced Feb. 5 a commitment of $100 million toward the global response to the coronavirus epidemic. In the United States, a Washington state man was diagnosed with the virus several days after his return Jan. 15 from the region around Wuhan. U.S. officials announced Jan. 31 they were denying entry to foreign nationals who recently visited China. Read more: https://wapo.st/2SryDzY. Subscribe to The Washington Post on YouTube: https://wapo.st/2QOdcqK

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