As news of a new coronavirus begins to take over, it seems at least some people are concerned that the infection is linked to Corona beer.
Google searches terms including "corona beer virus," "beer virus" and "beer coronavirus" saw a spike, according to Google Trends data. Global searches for these terms showed up on Jan. 22, climbing for three days before dropping. Google Trends tracks the relative popularity of a search phrase over time and does not indicate that a large number of people searched these terms. However, searches for "Corona beer" also spiked during the same time period.
» RELATED: What is the Wuhan coronavirus?
The first case of coronavirus, a group of viruses that includes some that can cause the common cold and others that have evolved into severe illnesses like SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), was reported in December. The illness apparently began in a food market in Wuhan, China, a central city in the country.
» RELATED: Map tracks spread of Wuhan coronavirus in real time
The New York Times cited Chinese officials and the World Health Organization on Thursday in a report that the number of confirmed new coronavirus cases had exceeded 7,700. China has been the location of all but 68 of those cases.
Among the common symptoms are cough, headache, runny nose and fever. Other symptoms like body aches and chills are associated with more dangerous kinds of coronavirus, according to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
» RELATED: WHO declares coronavirus a global health emergency
With fears increasing, face masks began selling out in China and have begun to do the same in the U.S., which has confirmed cases of the virus. But their effectiveness in preventing the spread of the virus is dependent on certain factors.
Dr. Mark Denison of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville told the Associated Press that all viruses are small enough that they can penetrate a typical medical mask. However, he said germs don’t usually spread through the air at once; they spread through droplets from coughing or sneezing. He also noted that masks can be of some value as they block large droplets from a sneeze or cough.
» RELATED: Do masks offer protection from coronavirus? It depends
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