LOC23:13
20:13 GMT
PARIS, Jan 24 (KUNA) -- France has two confirmed cases of the fast-spreading New Coronavirus and is taking all measures to verify potential contacts with other people, Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said in a televised statement.
On 48-year-old man has been hospitalised under emergency conditions in Bordeaux University Hospital after developing symptoms that were consistent with the virus. He is known to have been in contact with people from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus emerged some weeks ago. He spent several days in Wuhan on a business trip.
The second case concerns a person fallen ill Friday in the Paris area, the Minister said, but gave not details.
So far the virus has killed 26 people in Wuhan but is contaminating potentially hundreds, if not more. So far, a number of cases of the virus have been reported in several Asian countries and two in the US.
Bordeaux hospital has placed its case in isolation pending a battery of tests and treatments, "France 2" TV said.
It is the second case in France in a week, French Health Ministry officials said on "France Info" radio The Bordeaux case emerged after the Chinese man consulted SOS emergency doctors who noted he had a high fever, coughing and other symptoms and had him immediately hospitalised.
The latest "New" strain of the Coronavirus has forced Chinese authorities to quarantine the entire Wuhan city, with a population of 11 million, as well as sealing off other areas.
Beijing has also cancelled Chinese New Year celebrations and urged people not to travel in this period, when normally tens of millions of Chinese move around the country on family visits. (end)
jk