Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1205478
8 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 29 JANUARY 2020 NEWS INTERNATIONAL THE novel coronavirus has spread to 11 countries – with 37 confirmed cases – outside China, where it was first con- firmed last month, according to the latest update from the United Nations' health agency. On Sunday, the World Health Organisa- tion (WHO) said 29 confirmed cases were reported outside China in 10 countries – France (3), Japan (3), USA (2), Australia (4), Vietnam (2), Singapore (4), Malaysia (3), Thailand (5), Nepal (1), and South Ko- rea (2). But the latest update includes a case in Canada, with a first confirmed case. This took the total confirmed cases, globally, to 2,798 up from 2,014. While the number of confirmed cases re- mained the same elsewhere, it rose to 2741 in China, four in Japan, South Korea and Malaysia, and five in the United States. No deaths have been reported in other countries but there have been 80 deaths in China, so far. A delegation from WHO led by Direc- tor-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghe- breyesus is in Beijing to meet with gov- ernment and health experts supporting response to the outbreak. The mission seeks to understand the latest developments and strengthen the partnership with China, in wake of the particular for the response. It is estimated that the incubation period of the virus ranges from 2-10 days, accord- ing to WHO, which however adds that these estimates will be refined as more da- ta becomes available. "Understanding the time when infected patients may transmit the virus to oth- ers is critical for control efforts," the UN agency said in a statement. "Detailed epidemiological informa- tion from more people infected is need- ed to determine the infectious period of 2019-nCoV, in particular whether trans- mission can occur from asymptomatic in- dividuals or during the incubation period." The WHO said it is working with a net- work of specialists in the continued effort to thwart further spread. A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously iden- tified in humans. Coronaviruses are transmitted between animals and people. Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civ- et cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans. A civet is a small, lean, mostly nocturnal mammal native to tropical Asia and Africa, espe- cially the tropical forests. Several known coronaviruses are circu- lating in animals that have not yet infect- ed humans. Coronavirus spreads to 11 countries outside China