BEIJING – The death toll from a new flu-like coronavirus in China rose to nine on Wednesday with 440 confirmed cases mostly in the city of Wuhan, Chinese health officials said while United States reported its first case.
A traveler from China was diagnosed in Seattle with the Wuhan coronavirus, the United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said – the first case identified in the US. The patient was in good condition, the CDC added.
Cases were also confirmed in Thailand, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan – all involving people who had been to Wuhan.
The Chinese government has been providing daily updates on the number of cases in a bid to head off public panic, as millions of people prepare to travel domestically and abroad for the country’s Lunar New Year celebrations starting this week.(Reuters)