Coronavirus Outbreak Kills 25 in China, 8 Cities Locked Down

Beijing, January 24, 2020:

The deadly Coronavirus has killed at least 25 people, and sickened about 830 others, reports said. In reaction to this, the Chinese Government broadened on Friday its unprecedented, open-ended lockdowns to encompass more than 20.5 million people.

Despite this, it has been reported that Coronavirus has now leaked outside Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, and two people are reportedly afflicted with the virus outside.

China's Hubei province is reportedly under lockdown, as the virus is said to have originated there. Lockdown in Wuhan reportedly began on Friday, and people can be seen wearing masks in public.

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According to reports, the train station and airport have ceased operations. Neighboring cities have also been locked down by the authorities, but precautions are being taken across the country.

Most of the deaths and confirmed cases were concentrated in Hubei, but authorities on Friday also confirmed the first case outside the province.

Meanwhile, cases of coronavirus have also been reported from Hong Kong, Macao, the United States, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.

Coronaviruses cause diseases in mammals and birds that include diarrhea in cows and pigs, and upper respiratory disease in chickens. In humans, the virus causes respiratory infections, often mild, but in rare cases potentially lethal. The disease currently has a mortality rate of about 4%.

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