China confirms 3rd death from new coronavirus

BEIJING. KAZINFORM Health authorities in the central China city of Wuhan said Monday that another person has died of pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus, the third fatality linked to the virus.

So far, 198 people have been diagnosed with the respiratory disease in Wuhan, including 136 newly diagnosed, according to the authorities, Kyodo News reports.

Separately, three people have been infected with the coronavirus in the capital Beijing, and Guangdong in southern China, marking the first cases confirmed in the country outside Wuhan, Chinese media reported.

Coronaviruses usually cause common-cold symptoms, infecting the nose, sinuses or upper throat, and are spread through sneezing, coughing or direct contact.

However, some types lead to more serious, sometimes deadly respiratory diseases, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome or Middle East respiratory syndrome, commonly known as SARS and MERS, respectively.

Wuhan municipal authorities have said the risk of continued person-to-person infection is relatively low and preventable, and can be contained.

There is concern, however, that a mass migration of people during the upcoming Luna New Year holidays, which start later this week, could spread the virus to other parts of China.