A second person has died in China from a mystery virus that has infected dozens of people, Chinese health officials said Thursday. A 69-year-old man identified only by his surname, Xiong, died on Wednesday in the central Chinese city believed to be the epicenter of an outbreak of a coronavirus which is a relative of the deadly SARS pathogen.
The SARS-like virus is identified as a coronavirus, which can cause illnesses ranging from common colds to the potentially deadly SARS.
This follows the death of a 61-year-old man in Wuhan who died of the disease on Jan. 9. He died after respiratory failure caused by severe pneumonia.
The latest death transpired as authorities ramped up airport screenings ahead of an expected surge in arrivals for Chinese New Year.
The victim who died had become sick on December 31 and his condition worsened on January 4, with pulmonary tuberculosis and multiple organ functions damaged.
The outbreak is linked with SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which killed 349 people in mainland China and another 299 in Hong Kong in 2002-2003.
The virus also has been detected in Japan and Thailand.
The news coincided with Thailand reporting on Friday that a second Chinese national is infected with the mystery virus.
About 41 people have been hit with pneumonia linked to the new virus in China. According to the Wuhan health commission, 12 people have recovered and were discharged from the hospital while five people are being treated as "severe cases."
Many cases have been linked to a fish market in Wuhan, so the market was closed on 1 January.
The victim was transferred to Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital for treatment on the 4th of January after his health further deteriorated, being admitted with abnormal renal function, pulmonary tuberculosis and damage to multiple organ functions.
According to the Wuhan municipal health commission, the 69-year-old man had been admitted to hospital with abnormal renal function and severe damage to multiple organs. He died on the last 15th of January.
The virus is a new strain of coronavirus, which is in the same family as the deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).
Japan reported its first case of the virus - the second country outside China after Thailand to do so.
The symptoms of coronavirus are illnesses ranging from common colds to the potentially deadly SARS.
Officials have tracked down 763 people who had come in contact with the infected, 644 of which have been removed from medical observations.
Chinese patients with symptoms of the disease have been arriving at hospitals in Japan and Thailand, said the officials.
The widespread virus has prompted authorities in Hong Kong to step up detection measures, including temperature checkpoints for inbound travelers.
Japan confirmed a man in his 30s had been infected with the virus, and a Chinese woman was quarantined in Thailand with a mystery strain of coronavirus last Thursday.
SARS has infected more than 8,000 people in 26 countries. However, China has been free of SARS since May 2004.
Though unconfirmed, the latest victim was 69 years old.
However, the new coronavirus in Wuhan appeared to not be as lethal as MERS or SARS.
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