Coronavirus outbreak feared as Japan announces another case

The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare confirmed Thursday the second case of a novel viral outbreak outside of China.

The announcement of this second case of a mysterious pneumonia illness that has hospitalized dozens of people and killed one follows Thailand’s confirmation earlier this week.

Health officials in Japan said the patient is a 30-year-old man who had travelled to Wuhan, where the outbreak started at a seafood market.

Due to global travel patterns, the World Health Organization said more cases in other countries are likely.

Also on Thursday, German researchers said they have developed the first diagnostic test for the new virus that has emerged in central China, according to the Associated Press.

The first patient to catch the illness outside of China is a 61-year-old woman who showed signs of fever upon arrival at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport on Jan. 8.

Chinese health officials reported the first death due to the pneumonia outbreak on Saturday, saying the patient had serious underlying medical conditions.

Since December, there have been 41 confirmed cases of the virus in China.

The source of this coronavirus and how the illness spreads remains unknown.