First death from mysterious virus reported in china
China on Saturday reported the first death from a virus believed to be from the same family as the SARS pathogen that killed hundreds in China and Hong Kong more than a decade ago.
Forty-one people with pneumonia-like symptoms have so far been diagnosed with the new type of coronavirus in the central Chinese city of Wuhan where it was first confirmed, with one of the victims dying, the city’s health commission said on its website.
Seven others remained in serious condition while two were discharged from treatment, it added, saying the latest tally was completed on Friday.
The commission did not specify when the death occurred or give further details on the patient other than to say the bulk of those diagnosed worked at a Wuhan seafood market that was closed January 1 following the outbreak.
The episode has caused alarm due to the link to SARS, or Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which killed 349 people in mainland China and another 299 in Hong Kong in 2002-2003.
State-run Xinhua news agency reported on Friday that Chinese scientists investigating the outbreak had made a “preliminary” determination that it was a previously unknown type of coronavirus.
The WHO says coronaviruses are a large family of pathogens ranging from the common cold to more serious illnesses like SARS and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which emerged in 2012 and also caused scores of deaths.
“No new cases have been detected since January 3, 2020,” the Wuhan health commission said.
