Over 280 Confirmed Coronavirus Cases Reported From Four Countries - WHO

DAVOS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd January, 2020) A total of over 280 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus have been reported from China, Thailand, Japan and South Korea, the World Health Organization (WHO) informs, saying that cases registered outside of China were all exported from Wuhan City.

"WHO has been in regular and direct contact with Chinese as well as Japanese, Korean and Thai authorities since the reporting of these cases. The three countries have shared information with WHO under the International Health Regulations. WHO is also informing other countries about the situation and providing support as requested," WHO said in a Tuesday situation report.

According to the release, as of 20 January 2020, 282 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus have been reported from China (278 cases), Thailand (2 cases), Japan (1 case) and South Korea (1 case).

"Cases in Thailand, Japan and Republic of Korea were exported from Wuhan City, China," WHO said.

Most of the cases in China have been reported from Hubei Province.

Out of all patients confirmed to have contracted the new coronavirus in China, 51 are severely ill, while 12 are in critical condition.

A total of six deaths from the new virus have been reported from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the current outbreak started in December of last year. A local seafood market is believed to have contributed to the spread of the disease.

On Monday, China's National Health Commission confirmed human-to-human transmission of the new coronavirus. Previously, it was thought that the virus could only be contracted from exposure to sick animals.

Temperature screening has been introduced at multiple airports to monitor for people possibly infected with the virus, which causes a type of pneumonia.

The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported the first US case of pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus on Tuesday. The patient had recently returned from Wuhan.