Hong Kong confirms 3 new cases of virus

Hong Kong health authorities on Tuesday confirmed a further three cases of the new coronavirus. Hong Kong Hospital Authority chief manager Dr Sara Ho said of the territory's 84 confirmed cases two have died, 18 have recovered and the rest were receiving treatment across public hospitals.

There were now seven virus cases involving people who had visited a Buddhist temple named Fook Wai Ching She in North Point of Hong Kong Island in January and February.

Two further patients were "close contacts" of visitors to the temple, said Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Communicable Disease Branch of the Centre for Health Protection of Hong Kong's Department of Health.

A total of 22 people who had visited the worship hall in the past two months have been put into quarantine, and more than 100 were under medical surveillance, she added.