China has reported 17 new cases of the mysterious SARS-like virus in the central city of Wuhan, adding to growing concerns ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday when hundreds of millions of people move around the country.
Of the new cases reported on Sunday, authorities said three were "severe," of which two patients were too critical to be moved.
Those infected reportedly range from 30 to 79 years old.
The virus has hit 62 people in Wuhan, according to local authorities, with eight in severe condition, 19 recovered and discharged from hospital, and the rest in isolation receiving treatment.
Two people have died so far from the virus.
Authorities said they had begun "optimized" testing of pneumonia cases across the city to identify those infected, and would begin "detection work" and "sampling tests" towards suspected cases as a next step.
The new coronavirus strain has caused alarm because of its connection to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.■
<Photo: Yonhap News>
