Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. Many coronaviruses naturally infect animals. Of the seven that can infect humans, four are so common that they infect most people at some point. Coronaviruses are thought to spread through the air by coughing, sneezing and close personal contact, or by touching contaminated objects or surfaces then touching your mouth, nose or eyes.