SHANGHAI – China reported a fourth death from a new coronavirus on Tuesday as the number of cases continued to rise.
Health authorities around the world stepped up screening and the World Health Organization (WHO) called a meeting on Wednesday to consider declaring an international health emergency.
The number of known cases more than tripled on Monday to 223, mostly in the central city of Wuhan where the outbreak began but also in Beijing and Shanghai, Chinese officials said. There were also two in Thailand, one in Japan and one in South Korea.
The virus can cause pneumonia, with symptoms including fever and difficulty in breathing.
Authorities are still investigating the origin of the virus, however, the WHO said the primary source is most likely animal and Chinese officials have linked the outbreak to a seafood market in Wuhan.
Some experts said the strain may not be as deadly as some other strains of coronavirus such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which killed nearly 800 people worldwide during a 2002/03 outbreak that also originated from China.
Little is known about the new virus, including its origin, but health authorities have confirmed human-to-human transmission.(Reuters)
