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China's Mysterious Virus Claims First Victim

Reuters

   SHANGHAI, CHINA - A 61-year-old man has died from pneumonia in the
   central Chinese city of Wuhan after an outbreak of a yet to be
   identified virus while seven others are in critical condition, the
   Wuhan health authorities said Saturday.

   In total, 41 people have been diagnosed with the pathogen, which
   preliminary lab tests cited by Chinese state media earlier this week
   pointed to a new type of coronavirus, the Wuhan Municipal Health
   Commission said in a statement on its website.

   Two of them have been discharged from the hospital and the rest are in
   stable condition, while 739 people deemed to have been in close contact
   with the patients have been cleared, it said.

   The man, the first victim of the outbreak that began in December, was a
   regular buyer at a seafood market in the city and had been previously
   diagnosed with abdominal tumors and chronic liver disease, the health
   authority said.

   Treatments did not improve his symptoms after he was admitted to
   hospital and he died Jan. 9 when his heart failed. He tested positive
   for the virus.

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