Government officials from China have advised people not to travel into and out of Wuhan, the city where a new virus outbreak that already killed nine originated.
Authorities have issued a warning against travel into and out of the city of Wushan in china, amidst a new virus outbreak that has caused the death of nine people so far. The officials have also told the 11 million people living in the city to avoid crowds and minimize public gatherings.
The new virus has already spread from Wushan to several Chinese provinces, as well as abroad in the US, Thailand and South Korea. There are currently 440 confirmed cases of infection from the new virus.
The virus outbreak is believed to have originated from a seafood market that "conducted illegal transactions of wild animals".
In one of the first public briefings since the beginning of the outbreak, National Health Commission vice-minister Li Bin said: "Basically, do not go to Wuhan. And those in Wuhan please do not leave the city."
Li said there was evidence that the disease was "mainly transmitted through the respiratory tract" but China is yet to confirm the exact source of the virus. Li pointed out" "Though the transmission route of the virus is yet to be fully understood, there is a possibility of virus mutation and a risk of further spread of the epidemic."
The surge in the number of cases has been attributed to the upcoming Lunar New Year holidays, when millions of Chinese are expected to travel. According to health officials, the infection, which first appeared in December, is a strain of coronavirus and has led to an outbreak of pneumonia.
Dubbed 2019-nCoV, the new strain of coronavirus has not previously been identified in humans and adds to only six known strains that infect people. World Health Organization (WHO) scientists believe that an animal is “the most likely primary source” but that some human-to-human transmission has occurred.
Symptoms of infection from this virus include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.
