Photo:Sina Weibo

 
Wuhan health authorities provided an update on the new coronavirus on Tuesday after a Chinese traveler to Thailand was confirmed to have been infected with the virus, saying the possibility cannot be ruled out that this virus can be passed on through people, but the continuous person-to-person transmission risk is low.

The Wuhan municipal health commission has confirmed the infected person who traveled to Thailand is from Wuhan and that person is now in stable condition in a Thai hospital.

Wuhan's health authority said people in close contact with the traveler were under medical observation and no abnormality has been found.

The commission said that they found no evidence that the new coronavirus can be passed on via people, but they cannot completely rule out the possibility. However, such risk is low, and further research is underway.

The commission said as of last Friday, 41 people were confirmed to be infected with the virus.

A married couple was among the confirmed cases. The husband had been working at the seafood market where the virus was first detected, while the wife wasn't exposed to it in the market, said the commission.

Wuhan conducted a thorough examination of the market after it was closed, and found some samples collected contained the coronavirus.

It also said that among the 41 cases, most were men, and the majority had been exposed in the seafood market. Their preliminary symptoms included fever and coughing. Elderly people with other health issues were likely to have more serious effects if they became infected.

Close contacts of the confirmed infected people will be put under close observation for 14 days; and if they show any symptoms, they will be sent to hospital for further examination, said the commission.

Global Times