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Second case of Wuhan coronavirus puts S. Korea on alert

TOKYO, Jan 24 (KUNA) -- South Korea on Friday reported its second confirmed case of the China coronavirus amid mounting fears of the pneumonia-like illness that is spreading throughout China and other parts of the world, Yonhap News Agency reported.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a South Korean who arrived at Seoul's international airport late Wednesday, tested positive for the virus.
The 55-year-old man, who has been working in Wuhan, visited a Chinese clinic last week after suffering from a sore throat and other symptoms, the agency said.
South Korea reported its first confirmed case of the new coronavirus Monday when a Chinese resident who arrived in Seoul on Sunday tested positive for the virus.
The second confirmed case came as South Korea is struggling to prevent the spread of coronavirus during the four-day Lunar New Year holiday, with the country's citizens advised not to visit the central Chinese city at the epicenter of the disease.
The traditional holiday, which began Friday, will see increased movement within the country and abroad, potentially exposing more people to the virus, the center said.
Common symptoms of the new coronavirus, thought to have originated in Wuhan, include fever, sore throat and breathing difficulties, with more acute cases involving chills and muscle pain.
South Korea is maintaining a high level of vigilance to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the report said. "It will take lots of time and efforts to terminate the virus, and what's important now is to take quick and thorough preventive measures, thus minimizing potential fallout," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun was quoted as saying during an emergency meeting arranged to discuss stepped-up responses against the deadly disease.
The new coronavirus was originally believed to be passed to humans from animals, but is now known to be transmissible from person to person, although victims may be contracting the virus by coming in contact with saliva and other bodily fluids rather than through airborne factors.
China announced the virus has killed 25 people so far, with 830 others confirmed to be infected, amid concerns the pneumonia-like illness is spreading quickly and widely.
Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, Macau, Hong Kong, Thailand and the US have also confirmed cases of the disease. (end) mk.sam