SEATTLE, WA — A Snohomish County man was diagnosed last weekend with a “novel coronavirus,” becoming the first known U.S. case connected to a growing outbreak in China. Health officials have been tracking the illness globally since it emerged in Wuhan, China, last month. More than 1,000 infections have been confirmed internationally in the time since, including 41 cases that led to death.

A second infection was confirmed in the U.S. Friday, and dozens of potential cases are being monitored across the nation.

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Because the virus is so new, doctors and scientists are still working to develop a full picture of how it behaves.

Here are some answers from Dr. Jeff Duchin, the health officer for King County Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

What is a coronavirus?

According to the CDC, coronaviruses are part of a large family of viruses that cause illnesses both in humans and animals. In rare cases, animal coronaviruses can evolve to infect people. The new virus is officially referred to as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV.”

How does this new virus spread?

Researchers around the globe are still determining precisely how the virus spreads. Many patients in the Wuhan outbreak had visited a large seafood and animal market, but a growing number of patients have no connection. The CDC said that indicates limited person-to-person transmission is possible — but it remains unknown how easily it spreads among people. Illnesses have been confirmed outside of China in Thailand, Japan and South Korea, as well as one case in the United States.

How severe are the symptoms?

Most coronaviruses cause mild respiratory illnesses, similar to the common cold, and a fever. Some can be more severe, such as SARS and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome). Researchers do not know how long symptoms appear after an initial exposure. The man diagnosed in Washington checked in to a health clinic with a fever and a cough.

From Duchin:

“As with any newly emerging infectious disease, knowledge evolves with time. Early on, it is difficult to know the source of the disease, how effectively it spreads from person to person, and the spectrum of illness — how severe the infection is. These questions are answered over time as investigations provide accurate information. According to reports, most of the hundreds of people who have been infected have not had serious illness, although there have been several deaths.”

Is there a vaccine?

According to Public Health, there is no vaccine for this virus or other coronaviruses, but scientists at the National Institute of Health have said they will work toward developing one.

Is there cause for concern?

Health officials continue to say overall risk to the general public is low, with just the one U.S. case so far, and a lack of evidence that it easily spreads. “In addition, even in China there have been relatively few cases identified to-date relative to the size of the population,” Duchin said. “As a point of comparison, there have been a few hundred cases and less than a dozen deaths reported globally as of today, while in a typical flu season there are hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths in the U.S. alone.”

Did the Snohomish County man potentially expose others at Sea-Tac Airport?

Since he did now show symptoms until the day after returning to the United States, health officials said it was less likely the man transmitted the virus to anyone else at the airport. The CDC is still working to evaluate any areas of concern.

What is being done in Washington — and nationally — to prevent the virus from spreading?

The CDC sent dozens of staff members to screen passengers arriving from China at three major airports in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco this weekend. More teams will be sent to two other airports, in Atlanta and Chicago. All flights originating from Wuhan, China, will be required to pass through one of those five airports.

Health agencies are also distributing information to hospitals and clinics throughout the region to make sure all are equipped to detect further infections as quickly as possible. The CDC is working with state and local health agencies to screen every person the Washington patient may have come in contact with, including medical staff and other patients.

When should someone seek medical treatment — and how?

“If you’ve traveled from the Wuhan area of China and feel sick with fever, cough or difficulty breathing, call your health care provider before going to get care and tell them about your symptoms and travel,” Duchin said. “They can provide you instructions for seeking care so that you do not expose others.”

You can find international travel notices and updated information on the new virus on the CDC website.