Atleast 80 people have now died from Coronavirus, and 2,744 cases of illness have been confirmed, mostly in the city of Wuhan in China where the virus first appeared.
Expert warns as many as 100,000 people could be infected as the deadly disease continues to spread around the world. At least 42 cases have been confirmed abroad, including in Thailand, the United States, and Australia.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Sunday that five cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed in the United States, all in people who had recently traveled to Wuhan, China. No deaths were reported.
“It is likely there will be more cases reported in the U.S. in the coming days and weeks, likely including person-to-person spread,” the CDC said in a statement.
World Health Organization chief flies to Beijing to discuss containment of virus as 10 countries report infections.
The UK government faced calls to reassure people that the NHS is ready to deal with any British cases within days.
On Monday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visited Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province and centre of the outbreak.
Officials in China said more than 30,453 people are currently under medical observation due to possible contact with people who may have been infected.
Most of the deaths have been of elderly people or those with pre-existing respiratory problems. At the Hubei border, workers are checking people’s temperatures before allowing them into the province.
The province has suspended emigration services, meaning Chinese citizens have been unable to get new visas or passports.
The city’s mayor Zhou Xianwang said that five million people had left Wuhan before travel out of the city was restricted, leaving nine million people still living there.
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