WHO officials are looking to determine whether the coronavirus outbreak originating in central China should be declared a global health emergency after confirmation of human transmission, according to STAT.
As of Jan. 20, China has reported more than 200 infections of the new virus, 2019-nCoV, which has sickened 14 healthcare workers and proved fatal for four patients. The rapid increase in case count, jumping by about 150 over the weekend, is concerning, Ralph Baric, PhD, coronavirus expert at the Chapel Hill-based University of North Carolina, told STAT.
Most cases have occurred in Wuhan, a city in central China where the outbreak is thought to have originated. However, authorities confirmed five cases in Beijing and 13 in Guangdong Jan. 20. Three countries — Thailand, South Korea and Japan — have all reported at least one case in citizens who had recently visited China. As of Jan. 17, three U.S. airports are screening travelers from Wuhan for the mysterious viral infection, STAT reported.
Authorities shut down a Wuhan seafood market linked to the initial cases after China alerted the WHO of an unusual pneumonia outbreak Dec. 31. Bats are thought to be the source of most coronaviruses, though other animals can also play a role.
The WHO has created an expert panel, announced Jan. 20, to determine whether the outbreak constitutes a global public health emergency.