Coronavirus spreads across China; 3 dead, 217 infected

OUTBREAK 1st cases from Beijing, Shanghai cities and provinces like Guangdong, Sichuan

BEIJING: China on Monday reported a third death and more than 160 new cases of the coronavirus including the first cases from Beijing, Shanghai and several provinces including Guangdong, Sichuan and Zhejiang, confirming fears that the previously unknown virus had spread across the country.

The total number of confirmed cases of the infection until Monday evening was 217; at least seven more suspected cases were reported from different parts of China.

The numbers are set to rise, experts said, with a WHO official reiterating the possibility – and danger – of human-to-human transmission.

“It is clear that there is at least some human-to-human transmission from the evidence we have, but we don’t have clear evidence that shows the virus has acquired the capacity to transmit among humans easily,” said Takeshi Kasai, the WHO’S regional director for the western pacific.

Taking note of the situation, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that the country will curb the spread of an outbreak of pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus, s t at e t e l e vi s i on reported. “People’s lives and health should be given top priority and the spread of the outbreak should be resolutely curbed,” it quoted Xi as saying.

The third death was also reported from Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, and a university city with a population nearly 11 million and thousands foreign – including Indian – students. The city has reported 198 cases so far.

The spread of the virus has sparked fears of a wider outbreak as the travel rush for the upcoming Chinese New Year holidays peaks this week.

As of 6pm on Monday, at least five cases of the disease have been reported in Beijing, two in Shanghai and as many as 14 in the southern province of Guangdong. Seven suspected cases were reported from several provinces including the southwestern Sichuan and Shandong in eastern China. Five new cases of the infection have been reported from the eastern province of Zhejiang. “Since January 17, five cases of patients with respiratory symptoms such as fever have been found in Wenzhou, Zhoushan, Taizhou, and Hangzhou of Zhejiang province,” the Zhejiang health authorities said.