Which countries have confirmed cases of new coronavirus? | Coronavirus outbreak News

A new strain of coronavirus is spreading around the world after originating at a seafood market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

In China, 42 people have died and 1,372 cases have been recorded on the mainland as the country steps up its response to the crisis by restricting transport and closing tourist sites.

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Cases have also been confirmed in France, the United States and several Asian countries, stoking fears of a global pandemic as hundreds of millions of Chinese travel to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged that the respiratory illness is an emergency in China but said it is too early to declare it a public health emergency of international concern.

Here are the countries that have so far confirmed cases of the new coronavirus:

China

As of Saturday, nearly 1,400 people have been infected across China, most of them in and around Wuhan.

Nearly all of those who died were in the Wuhan region, but officials have confirmed two deaths elsewhere – one in Hebei province and another in the northeastern Heilongjiang province.

The city of Macau, a gambling hub hugely popular with mainland tourists, has confirmed two cases.

In Hong Kong, five people are known to have the disease. Three of those cases were confirmed in the 24 hours to Saturday morning. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Saturday declared the outbreak an “emergency” – the city’s highest warning tier – and said all official celebrations of the Lunar New Year would be cancelled.

France

There are three known cases of the coronavirus in France, the first European country to be affected by the outbreak.

A 48-year-old man is in hospital in Bordeaux. He had recently travelled to Wuhan and returned to France via the Netherlands.

Two others have been hospitalised in Paris, one of which is a relative of one of the other infected patients in France.

All three had recently travelled to China and had now been placed in isolation. 

France’s health minister has said it is likely that there will be more cases and that authorities are surveying all the people that the patients came into contact with after arriving in France.

Japan

Japan‘s health authorities confirmed a third case on Saturday. The country’s health ministry said a woman in her 30s who lives in Wuhan had contracted the virus.

The country’s first case was reported by the health ministry last week: a man who had visited Wuhan and was hospitalised on January 10, four days after his return to Japan.

Local media said the second patient was a man in his 40s who was originally from Wuhan and on a trip to Japan. 

Australia

Australia on Saturday confirmed its first case of the virus: a man who arrived in Melbourne from China a week ago.

Authorities said they were contacting people who had travelled on the same plane from China and offering advice.

Later on Saturday, authorities said three men in Sydney who had recently arrived from China had tested positive for the disease and were in isolation in local hospitals.

Malaysia

Malaysia confirmed its first three cases on Saturday. All were Chinese nationals on holiday from Wuhan who arrived in the country from Singapore two days earlier.

A 66-year-old woman and two boys, aged two and 11, were in a stable condition and being kept in an isolation ward at a public hospital, Malaysia’s health minister said.

They are all relatives of a man who was found to be infected in Singapore. 

Nepal

Nepal said a 32-year-old man arriving from Wuhan had the deadly disease.

The patient, who was initially quarantined, recovered and was discharged. The government said that surveillance has been increased at the airport “and suspicious patients entering Nepal are being monitored”.

Singapore

Singapore has announced at least three cases – a 66-year-old man and his 37-year-old son, who arrived in Singapore on Monday from Wuhan, and a 52-year-old Wuhan woman, who arrived in the city-state on Tuesday.

South Korea

South Korea confirmed its second case of the virus on Friday.

The health ministry said a South Korean man in his 50s started experiencing symptoms while working in Wuhan on January 10. He was tested after his return earlier this week, and the virus was confirmed.

The country reported its first case on January 20: a 35-year-old woman who flew in from Wuhan.

Both remain in treatment and are in stable conditions.

Taiwan

Taiwan has uncovered three cases so far. It has since advised against travel to Wuhan and Hubei province and on Friday said any arrivals from Wuhan would be rejected by immigration.

All arrivals from the rest of China – including Hong Kong and Macau – must fill out health declaration forms on arrival.

It has also banned the export of face masks for a month to ensure domestic supplies.

Thailand

Thailand has detected five cases so far: four Chinese nationals from Wuhan and a 73-year-old Thai woman who came back from the Chinese city this month.

Two of the Chinese patients were treated, and have since recovered and travelled back to China, the Thai health ministry said this week.

The United States

On Tuesday, US health officials announced the country’s first case, a man in his 30s living near Seattle. On Friday, a second case was announced – a woman in her 60s living in Chicago.

Both were treated and are recovering.

Vietnam

Vietnam on Thursday confirmed two cases of the virus: an infected man from Wuhan travelled to Ho Chi Minh City earlier this month and passed the virus on to his son.

Both were being treated in hospital and are stable, Vietnamese health officials said.