Two Belgium care home residents positive for virus

Two residents at a Brussels retirement home have tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting city  authorities to place other patients in quarantine.

According to Iriscare, the body in charge of retirement homes in the Belgian capital city, the two patients, whose identity and age were not revealed, have been sent to hospital with 10 other residents who had symptoms of the disease and were asked to undergo screening tests.

Located in the leafy neighbourhood of Watermael-Boitsfort, the residential care centre has 300 rooms.

Meanwhile, Belgium's health ministry announced 85 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the country, raising the total to 399.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus.

According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.

In mainland China, where the virus first appeared, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.