China: 9 dead and 440 infected by mysterious Coronavirus

On Wednesday, Li Bin, Deputy Director of China’s National Health Commission, announced that the coronavirus outbreak in China’s Wuhan city has killed nine people and infected 440 others across the country. Li Bin announced this at a morning briefing in Beijing.

All 9 deaths are reported in central Hubei province, where the virus first appeared in the city of Wuhan. According to international media reports, the virus has spread to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Tokyo, South Korea, Beijing, Shanghai, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Singapore.

While the disease is mainly concentrated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, there have been two cases in Thailand and one in Japan. The virus, has pneumonia-like symptoms. It is thought to be spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes. 

Read: Coronavirus: Screening of passengers from China at 7 airports

Read: China to hold emergency talks on virus outbreak

Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation raises precautions

Amid the outbreak of the mysterious 'novel coronavirus disease,' the Ministry of Civil Aviation stated that it will be extending the screening of passengers visiting from China to four more airports - Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Cochin. 

The Ministry had earlier asked for a screening test at Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata airports. The measure has been taken as a precautionary step given the recent outbreak of the SARS-like virus in China.

Read: China says number of confirmed SARS-like virus cases jumps over 250

Read: China to hold emergency talks on virus outbreak