Coronavirus Death Toll Jumps to 17 and 440 infected as Authorities shuts down Wuhan transport networks

The Chinese city of Wuhan, the source of an outbreak of a new flu-like virus, is closing its transport networks and advising citizens not to leave the city, state media reported on Thursday. The outbreak has killed 17 people, and there are 440 confirmed cases.

Bus, subway, ferry, and long-distance passenger transportation networks will be suspended from 10 am local time on Jan. 23, and the airport and train stations will be closed to outgoing passengers, state TV said.

The government is asking citizens not to leave the city unless there are special circumstances, state media said, citing the local government’s virus taskforce

The virus, known also as 2019-nCoV, is understood to be a new strain of coronavirus that has not previously been identified in humans. The Sars virus that killed nearly 800 people globally in the early 2000s was also a coronavirus.

Signs of infection with the new virus include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.