Beijing, Jan 21: The Chinese official investigating a pneumonia outbreak stemming from a new coronavirus said the disease can spread from person to person but can be halted with increased vigilance, as authorities on Tuesday confirmed a fourth death.
Zhong Nanshan said there was no danger of a repeat of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic that killed nearly 800 people globally during a 2002-2003 outbreak, which started in China, as long as precautions were taken.
"It took only two weeks to identify the novel coronavirus," state news agency Xinhua quoted Zhong as saying late on Monday.
The outbreak was still in its early stages and China had good surveillance and quarantine systems to help control it, he added.
The outbreak has spread from the central city of Wuhan to cities including Beijing and Shanghai, with more than 200 cases reported so far. Four cases have been reported outside China - in South Korea, Thailand and Japan.
Australia on Tuesday said it would screen passengers on flights from Wuhan amid rising concerns that the virus will spread globally as Chinese travellers take flights abroad for the Lunar New Year holiday starting this week.
Authorities around the globe, including in the United States and many Asian countries, have stepped up screening of travellers from Wuhan.
Chinese authorities confirmed a total of 217 cases of the virus in China as of 6 p.m. (1000 GMT) on Monday, state television reported, 198 of which were in Wuhan.
A fourth person died on Jan. 19, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said. The 89-year-old man, who had underlying health diseases including coronary heart disease, developed symptoms on Jan. 13 and was admitted to hospital five days later, it added.
Zhong, who is renowned in China for his work fighting SARS in 2003, confirmed that the virus can pass from person-to-person.
Fifteen medical workers in Wuhan had been diagnosed with pneumonia, with one other suspected case, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said. Of the infected staff, one was in critical condition.
In Shanghai, officials on Tuesday confirmed a second case involving a 35-year-man who had visited Wuhan in early January, and said they were monitoring four other suspected cases.
The virus causes a type of pneumonia and belongs to the same family of coronaviruses as SARS. Symptoms include fever and difficulty in breathing, which are similar to many other respiratory diseases and pose complications for screening efforts.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday an animal source appeared most likely to be the primary origin of the outbreak and that some "limited human-to-human transmission" occurred between close contacts.
The Geneva-based U.N. agency convened an emergency committee for Wednesday to assess whether the outbreak constitutes an international health emergency and what measures should be taken to manage it.
So far, the WHO has not recommended trade or travel restrictions, but a panel of independent experts could do so or make other recommendations to limit spread.
Comments
Dear Bhagvatjee,
First of all think deeply, Dont think howmany left now. Think howmuch you lost and loosing continuosly.
We are not aginst Hindus. We are against your so called illogical thinking of Hindutwa.
Why aloways there is fuss. If you want follow whatever you like. Dont talk and imposing on others.
What is Hindutwa Ideology, share it.
The world has still 6billion population outside the India. Go and share your ideas there.
But Very honestly, Islam is spreading without any efforts because of its truth,
(please dont look at Muslims, see what is ISLAM).
Dont worry, no selfish intensions. Only sharing the fact.
Hindu & muslim lived happly when muslim king ruled for 1000 year, that time no hindu thought that he is in danger and still they are the majority people in india, now when hindu ruler moderan FEKU came all hindu thought that they are in danger from only 14% lion..people use people to make his life luxirous in the name of religion, only in india the religion is the issue for all cause.
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