Death toll from China's coronavirus outbreak hits 26

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency

At least 25 people have died amid an outbreak of a new coronavirus, known as 2019-nCoV, in mainland China, with most cases recorded in the central Hubei province, local media reported on Jan. 24.

The new virus's symptoms resemble those of pneumonia, causing massive outcry in China as the country prepares to hold New Year celebrations on Jan. 25.

At least 25 patients died in Hubei province, while one death was reported from China's northeastern Hebei province.

Chinese health officials on Jan. 24 affirmed that 830 people were confirmed to have contracted the virus, Xinhua news reported.

The virus originated in Wuhan city -- the capital of Hubei -- and has now spread across 29 provinces in the country.

At least 11 cases of were found in Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the U.S., Singapore and Vietnam.

According to CGTN news, one case was also found in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Five confirmed cases of the new virus were reported in the autonomous regions of Hong Kong and Macao, as well as in Taiwan, which Beijing sees as a breakaway province.

WHO says early to declare China virus global emergency

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Jan. 23 that now is not the time to declare a new virus that emerged in China a global health emergency.

Addressing a press conference after the committee meeting in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the emergency committee on the novel coronavirus met, and there was again a "split" over the decision as on the previous day.

"Make no mistake this is an emergency in China, but it has not yet become a global emergency. It may become one," Tedros said.

China was taking action to limit the spread of the virus, he said, and the WHO committee would be ready to reconvene depending on the situation.

Countries, where people have been affected by the virus, are Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, the U.S., and Vietnam, according to the global organization.

"We don't know the sources of the virus and don't fully understand its clinical severity," said Tedros.

Flights, transport suspended

Many airlines have suspended their flights to Wuhan due to fear of transmitting the virus to other areas, while Beijing has canceled large-scale activities in view of the New Year celebrations.

Wuhan shut down public transport to prevent further spread of the fatal virus.

The Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, falls on Jan. 25 this year. The celebrations often feature temple fairs, sports and exhibitions, usually held in Beijing during the holiday.

Travelers from China are being screened at several airports across the world in the wake of a deadly viral outbreak. Turkey has decided to scan all passengers traveling from China with thermal cameras at airports.

The WHO says Chinese authorities believe a new coronavirus from the family that produced SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) may be the cause of the mysterious pneumonia cases.

According to Chinese researchers, the 2019-nCoV is about 70 percent similar to the SARS-CoV and 40 percent similar to the MERS-CoV.

During an epidemic of SARS in 2003, more than 700 people -- mostly in Asia -- lost their lives.

Bats likely natural reservoir

Researchers have found a key protein essential for the novel coronavirus to infect humans, indicating that a possible natural reservoir of the virus may be bats.

Chinese investigators revealed that the virus was transmitted to humans through "wild animals."

The virus causes high fever, coughing and shortness of breath at the first stage, while in later stages it causes pneumonia, kidney failure and death.

Chinese health officials warned that the virus has the potential to mutate.

Li Bin, an official from the country's National Health Commission, informed that the coronavirus was transmitted via the respiratory tract.

"There is a possibility of viral mutation and further spread of the disease," he added

The coronavirus, also known as 2019-nCoV and which causes pneumonia-like symptoms, was identified in December in Wuhan, a central city of China, which has a population of 11 million.

Symptoms of the virus include fever, cough and trouble breathing.