Wuhan pneumonia: how the search for the source of the mystery illness unfolded
- Weeks after seafood market in central China became ‘ground zero’, authorities are still unsure if human-to-human transmission has role in outbreak
In 2002 and 2003, Sars – severe acute respiratory syndrome – infected more than 8,000 people globally and killed more than 600 in mainland China and Hong Kong.
In Thailand on January 8, a 61-year-old Chinese tourist from Wuhan became the first reported case outside China. Thailand confirmed a second case a week later, while Japan and South Korea have confirmed one case each.
The Chinese public began calling for more transparency as there remained no reports of cases, confirmed or suspected, within China outside of Wuhan.
On January 20, Chinese authorities confirmed five cases in Beijing and 14 in Guangdong province, which borders Hong Kong. There are now 217 confirmed cases in Wuhan, Beijing and Guangdong, and seven suspected cases in Sichuan, Yunnan, Shanghai, Guangxi and Shandong.