The Wuhan coronavirus has claimed the life of the first person outside of the Chinese community. A 60-year-old American who had contracted the virus died in the Chinese province of Hubei on February 6.
“We can confirm a 60-year old U.S. citizen diagnosed with coronavirus died at Jinyintian Hospital in Wuhan, China on February 6. We offer our sincerest condolences to the family on their loss. Out of respect for the family’s privacy, we have no further comment,” the US embassy in China said.
Japanese man’s death in Wuhan
According to Japan’s foreign ministry, a Japanese man who died of viral pneumonia in Wuhan is also suspected to have been infected with the coronavirus. However, due to difficulties in diagnosing the virus, the cause of his death was officially noted as viral pneumonia.
Deaths from China’s coronavirus outbreak surpasses deaths from SARS
The number of deaths caused by the coronavirus have now overtaken the number who died from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The total number of people who have died from coronavirus reached 813 as of February 8. SARS, by contrast, killed 774 people around the world in 2003.
The coronavirus is closely related to SARS and both originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Daily record set with 89 dead
According to China’s National Health Commission, a new daily record of 89 deaths was marked on February 8.
81 of the 89 deaths occured in Hubei province, with 2,147 new cases reported.
A total of 37,198 coronavirus cases have been reported in China so far.
South Korea has confirmed its 25th case
25 coronavirus cases have now been confirmed in South Korea, according to the nation’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
South Korea has announced that patients who have been hospitalized or quarantined will be reimbursed with a government subsidy.
It’s not just travelers to China who need to be aware of contracting the disease, but also those traveling to other countries that have confirmed human-to-human transmission, such as Singapore and Thailand.
Five Britons in French ski chalet found to have coronavirus
A family of five who had close contact with a British national who had recently traveled to Singapore were confirmed to have the virus after falling sick in a French ski chalet in eastern France.
The family, consisting of four adults and one child, were reportedly not in serious condition.
The two schools in the French region which were attended by the infected child will be closed for two weeks.
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