Coronavirus infected more than 75,000 people in Wuhan: Study estimates

A new study published in The Lancet suggests that more than 75,000 people could have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. The Lancet used data from Dec 31, 2019, to Jan 28, 2020, on the number of cases exported from Wuhan internationally (known days of symptom onset from Dec 25, 2019, to Jan 19, 2020) to infer the number of infections in Wuhan from Dec 1, 2019, to Jan 25, 2020. 

The study was conducted by Chi-Kin Lam and Miky Wong from the School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong.

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According to the study, it was estimated that the basic reproductive number of coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was 2.68 and that 75,815 individuals have been infected in Wuhan as of Jan 25, 2020, and the epidemic doubling time was 6.4 days. The study used data published in the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The study suggested that major Chinese cities like Chongqing, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen had imported 461, 113, 98, 111, and 80 infections from Wuhan, respectively. 

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The Lancet in its study said, "Given that coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is no longer contained within Wuhan, other major Chinese cities are probably sustaining localised outbreaks. Large cities overseas with close transport links to China could also become outbreak epicentres, unless substantial public health interventions at both the population and personal levels are implemented immediately." 

The research was supported by a commissioned grant from the Health and Medical Research Fund from the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

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250 died of coronavirus

According to international media reports, at least 250 people have died due to the coronavirus outbreak in China and the confirmed reported cases have reached up to 11,000 by February 1. Chinese authorities have imposed a serious quarantine in 12 major cities, 11 of which is in the epicentre of the disease in the Hubei province of China. Several countries across the world have suspended major airlines placing travel restrictions on Chinese nationals. 

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(with inputs from agencies)