‘Deadly’ new virus is spreading across Asia

A POTENTIALLY deadly new virus spreading across China can be passed between humans, experts confirmed last night.

Those infected by novel coronavirus, otherwise known as n-cov, develop pneumonia-like symptoms including fever, cough, tightness of the chest and shortness of breath.

The disease, which has also reached Thailand, South Korea and Japan, has infected more than 200 people, of which three have died. There is no known cure. World Health Organisation experts will meet tomorrow to decide if the outbreak constitutes an international emergency.

The virus has sparked fears of a repeat of the 2003 Sars epidemic, which killed 774 people in many countries. The new virus is thought to be a close cousin.

Human-to-human transmission marks an escalation in the threat as Chinese authorities previously said it had not been caught from people.

China’s national health commission said it suspected the virus originated from infected animals at a seafood market in the city of Wuhan – which also sold live poultry and exotic animal meats.

Fears are growing of rapid transmission. The week-long Chinese lunar new year celebrations – considered the largest human migration on the planet – began on Friday. Around three billion trips will be made, with people from all over the world visiting relatives in China.

Authorities have been screening travellers’ temperatures at airports, train and bus stations for nearly a week. Around 198 cases have been confirmed in Wuhan alone, with five in Beijing and 14 in Guangdong.

However, British researchers said on Sunday there could be more than 1,700 cases in Wuhan.