Health authorities in the central city of Wuhan, China, announced Saturday, the first death in the country due to a new type of "Corona" virus.

The municipal health committee in Wuhan said seven other people were in a "critical condition", the Associated Press reported.

She pointed out that 41 people have been suffering from pneumonia caused by "a new type of the virus since Friday, and they are in stable condition."

The authorities stated that the person who died as a result of infection with the virus, aged 61, had experienced severe shortness of breath and severe pneumonia, noting that he was originally suffering from abdominal tumors and chronic liver diseases.

China says the cause of the outbreak in Wuhan is still unknown, but it has sought to dispel speculation that it may be a new outbreak of the "SARS" epidemic that killed hundreds in 2002 and 2003.

New type
Chinese media indicated on Thursday that a new type of corona virus may be the cause of a mysterious type of pneumonia, which recently spread in central China's Wuhan city.

According to the World Health Organization, people with the mysterious disease have either been working in the same place, a fish market in the city, or visited it when they contracted in December.

After analyzing the genome sequence of the virus, a group of scientists found it to be a new type of corona virus, according to China Central Television, and the virus was identified in 15 patients.

The talk of the appearance of the Coruna virus, also known as the coronavirus, raises fears as millions of people prepare to travel during the Chinese New Year holiday later this month.

The disease has caused concern in several Asian countries, such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines, for officials to decide to establish quarantine areas or check travelers from China for signs of the disease.

Warning
The US embassy in China issued a health alert calling on travelers to Wuhan to avoid mixing with uncooked animals and meat, in addition to avoiding contact with any patients.

The World Health Organization praised China 's ability to detect the virus, and said, "The initial identification of a new virus in a short period of time is a remarkable achievement, and confirms China' s increasing ability to manage new waves of viruses," but the organization did not recommend a travel ban to China.

Corona viruses can infect animals and humans alike, and cause symptoms ranging from common cold to severe diseases, such as those caused by acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

Corona is a large group of viruses, some of which cause colds, while others, such as those found in bats, camels, and other animals, may develop into more severe diseases.

Common symptoms include runny nose, headache, cough, and fever. Shortness of breath, chills and body pain are associated with more dangerous types of the Corona virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States.