January 20, 2020

Andrew Campbell 

China reported a second person, a 69-year-old man, has died in Wuhan from the mysterious SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) typed virus on January 15. Local authorities said the man had become sick on December 31 in 2019, diagnosed with pneumonic tuberculosis and multiple organ malfunction.

According to China’s officials, the total number of patients infected by the virus in Wuhan has reached 62. Meanwhile, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said by far 12 people have recovered and been discharged from the hospital except that 5 others remained in serious condition.

The SARS-typed virus outbreak has caused alarm in other Asian regions. In particular, countries like Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand, have started screening airline passengers from Wuhan. In Hong Kong authorities also set up detection measures with temperature checkpoints for inbound travelers from China.

The MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis in London Imperial College published a report on January 17 and stated the Wuhan outbreak of a novel coronavirus has caused substantially more cases of moderate or severe respiratory illness than currently reported by the Wuhan authorities. In addition, the Centre estimated the SARS and MERS-CoV outbreaks in Wuhan would likely climb to 1,723 cases showing the onset of related symptoms by January 12.

The WHO said on January 16 that it was not enough to understand about the new coronavirus. The new coronavirus has stirred up concerns of the incoming Lunar New Year while millions of people traveling home and abroad might accelerate the spread of the disease.

Photo:Webshot.