China Virus Toll At 9, Pandemic Fears Grow
Jan 22, 2020 | Pratirodh Bureau
A staff member wearing a mask monitors thermal scanners that detect temperatures of passengers at the security check inside the Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan, Hubei province, China on January 21, 2020
Authorities in China and beyond stepped up efforts to control an outbreak of a new flu-like coronavirus on Wednesday, as the death toll rose to nine with 440 confirmed cases, while suspicion grew that the virus crossed to humans from animals.
China discouraged public gatherings in Hubei province, where the virus emerged last month, and tightened containment measures in hospitals, while the World Health Organization (WHO) was due to hold an emergency meeting to determine whether the outbreak constituted a global health emergency.
The virus has spread from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, in Hubei, to Beijing, Shanghai, Macau, Hong Kong, and beyond to the United States, Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan.
The Chinese government has provided updates on the number of cases in a bid to head off panic, as hundreds of millions of people prepare to travel at home and abroad for Lunar New Year celebrations starting this week.