Death toll doubles as experts say coronavirus is “as deadly as Spanish flu”
The Chinese government has quarantined the city where the deadly coronavirus originated and now plans to shut down the airport and public transport, according to Chinese media.
It is also believed that China has drastically under reported the amount of people affected by the mysterious disease that is now making its way around the world.
The number of deaths has risen to 17 – almost doubling in the last 24 hours – according to officials in the Hubei province. Over 500 people are currently infected.
But there are fears that the number is closer to 10,000, with warnings the new strain is “as deadly as Spanish flu” which killed 50 million people.
Expert in mathematical biology at Imperial College London, Professor Neil Ferguson, said the death toll was “roughly the same as The Spanish flu epidemic, at around one in 50”.
Wuhan was once a bustling city, but now, it’s quickly turned into a ghost town as doctors try their best to treat the victims.
“Do not go to Wuhan. And those in Wuhan, please do not leave the city,” said National Health Commission vice-minister Li Bin.
He also added that people should not leave the city unless there's “special circumstances”.
Speaking to The Sun, a reporter at the scene, who does not want to be identified revealed that people are shutting themselves indoors as they’re fearful of the deadly disease.
Incidents of the infection have been reported in Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the US, as well as Hong Kong and Macau.
There was one suspected case in Brisbane, Australia but he has since been cleared and released from home isolation.
North Korea has taken the step to ban foreign tourists from entering the country as a way of safeguarding against the spread of the deadly virus.