ElenaHepworth
Health officials in Germany and Canada confirmed the first cases of coronavirus infection, as the number of deaths from acute pneumonia increased.
A man in the town of Starnberg, Bavaria, southeastern Germany, has been infected with a new strain of the corona virus (nCoV), a spokesman for the state health agency said today, adding that the patient was under surveillance. in an isolated room. Officials did not provide details about how the person was infected but said he was in "good health".
Doctors treat a patient with acute pneumonia in Wuhan, China Photo: Chine Nouvelle/SIPA
Germany has urged citizens to avoid "unnecessary" trips to China to avoid spreading the virus. It is also considering plans to evacuate citizens from Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, the source of the outbreak last month.
Health officials in Ontario, Canada, on January 27, confirmed that the first case of nCoV virus infection in the country was a man in his 50s, from Wuhan to Toronto on January 22 and is being quarantined in a hospital. The man's wife is also believed to be infected with the virus and is being quarantined.
David Williams, Ontario health director, said 19 people were being monitored but determined the risk of "spreading nCoV virus to locals" was "low". Officials are contacting people sitting near the patient on China Southern Airlines flights and adding that those who sit two meters or more need not worry.
The Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs has issued a warning warning citizens to "avoid all travel" to Hubei Province.
Sri Lanka has also confirmed the first case of corona virus, according to Chinese television network CGTN. The patient was a Chinese tourist who came to this South Asian country on January 19 but became ill on January 25.
Many countries, including France, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan, are planning to remove citizens from Wuhan. The US has raised the alert level to level 3, advising citizens to avoid unnecessary trips to China and not to Hubei. The State Department said the flight to evacuate citizens from Wuhan would depart on January 29 instead of today as originally planned.
According to the Hubei Provincial Health Committee, the number of deaths from acute pneumonia in China has increased to 106 and nearly 1,300 new cases have been confirmed, bringing the total number of cases nationwide to more than 4,000.
