The coronavirus was first detected in Jan. 1, just weeks before the busy Chinese Lunar New Year.
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A deadly pneumonia-like illness that has raised the specter of an international health emergency has now claimed over 100 lives. Most of the deaths have occurred in the mainland China province of Hubei where the virus originated.
The death toll comes from China Global Television Network, a state-run media organization that has been following the situation closely. So far, all deaths have been recorded in China.
The novel coronavirus first appeared in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. Its rapid spread led to transportation shutdowns across entire cities and health screenings for travelers from China. Infected patients have since been detected in Thailand, Europe, Australia, Japan, South Korea and the US, among other countries.
The new virus, now known as 2019-nCoV, is part of a family of coronaviruses that includes everything from the common cold to deadly SARS, which killed hundreds in 2003.
Scientists are still working to understand the origin and transmission of the virus and to develop effective treatment methods. Click here to stay up to date on everything we know about the coronavirus and how to reduce your risk.
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