The novel coronavirus has infected more than 6,000 people and resulted in more than 132 deaths.
Zhong Nanshan, 84, a Chinese pulmonologist who played a huge role in discovering the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus in 2003 and managed the SARS outbreak in Guangdong province, has predicted that the virus will peak within 10 days.
There have also been more confirmed cases around the world. According to CNN, there are five confirmed cases in the U.S., with over 100 people being tested across 26 states.
Perhaps this is what prompted more searches of the Wuhan virus in recent days.
As news coverage intensifies on the new virus, it is perhaps understandable that more people will be looking for more info on the virus.
Here are the search trends for the Wuhan virus in the United States.
Here are the search trends for "Corona beer virus" in the United States.
But it isn't just the United States that is going through a Corona scare, here are worldwide search results for the term.
Basically everyone's searching for it, including Singapore.
Sites like Vice have pointed out this phenomenon. Miami Herald reported that an autofill of Corona beer virus" when you type in Corona might not help matters as well.
Memes
While some might genuinely think this is a Mexican beer related virus, it is most likely others are just putting in the results to find memes or funny images based on how similar the names are.
Here are some memes.
the owner of corona beer when the scientist named the virus pic.twitter.com/k4cBsrH80p
— postoffice (@lilpostoffice1) January 26, 2020
https://twitter.com/SASBurnerAcct/status/1221501379505721346
Dank.
The coronavirus is named as such because of its surface is covered with "crown"-like spikes.
Same same, but very different.
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Images from Wikipedia
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