By: Ale Hermosillo | March 16, 2020
The Coronavirus, also known as COVID- 19, is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of Wednesday, March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization categories the virus a pandemic, meaning it was affecting a large number of people across many countries.
The virus has impacted many countries, states, and cities. Chicago, being a highly populated city, has too been impacted. NBC writes about the academic repercussions of the virus by saying, “Gov. Pritzker previously announced all schools in Illinois, including Chicago Public Schools, will be closed until the end of March, as the number of cases continues to rise” (2020).
Other forms of containing the rate of transmission include the cancelling of major events such as the river dying in downtown Chicago for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Similarly, dine-in restaurants, clubs, and other public businesses that attract large crowds are being shut down.
On a larger scale, the NBA has cancelled the season to prevent large crowd-contamination, the MLB has postponed season openers and spring training. The virus has become a huge health concern and measures continue to be taken to prevent a larger spread of the virus.
Ale Hermosillo Data Journalism 