China: 139 new cases over the weekend as Coronavirus spreads

China has
reported 139 new cases of pneumonia caused by a new strain of coronavirus,
including a third death, as the outbreak spreads beyond the city where the
virus was first identified.

Health
authorities in Beijing confirmed two cases of the new coronavirus on Monday,
while Guangdong authorities reported one case in Shenzhen , the first
confirmation from authorities that the mysterious virus has spread domestically
beyond the central city of Wuhan. All three patients are believed to have
visited Wuhan, according to authorities.

The Wuhan
Municipal Health Commission announced on Monday that 136 new patients were
diagnosed on Saturday and Sunday. Of those, one person died from the virus, two
are in critical condition, and 33 are in serious condition, according to
authorities.

The new
cases, which brings the total number of people in China diagnosed with the
virus to 201, comes as the country gets ready for the Lunar New Year holiday
later this week.

An
additional two cases have been reported in Thailand and one in Japan. All cases
have been linked to Wuhan.

Chinese
scientists on January 8 identified the pathogen as a new strain of coronavirus,
in the same family of the deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
Officials in China have linked the viral infections to a Wuhan seafood and
wildlife market, which has been closed since January 1 to prevent further
spread of the illness.