The mayor of Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak of the Coronavirus, said he expected 1,000 new cases of the disease will emerge. China's health authorities are striving to contain the virus.

Zou Xianwang told reporters that the city will intensify its efforts to build specialized hospitals to deal with patients infected with the virus, noting that the pressure on medical supplies such as jackets, masks and glasses has eased to a great extent.

The National Health Commission of China said on Sunday that the ability of the Corona virus to transmit is getting stronger, and that the number of infection cases may continue to rise, after the virus infected more than two thousand people and killed 56 others in China alone.

A limited number of infections have been reported outside China in Thailand, Australia, the United States and France.

The new strain of the Coronavirus has caused concern because most of its properties are unknown, specifically how dangerous it is and how easily it can be transmitted between humans. The virus can cause pneumonia that was deadly in some cases.

Spread
National Health Commission Minister Ma Xiaoyi said in a press briefing that the incubation period of the virus can range from one to 14 days, and that he becomes contagious during his incubation period, as opposed to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused by the Coronavirus, which has caused the death of nearly 800 people. Worldwide in 2002 and 2003.

"It seems that the ability of the virus to spread increases in strength, according to the latest clinical information," the minister told reporters.

On Friday, the lunar New Year holiday, which is usually celebrated by millions of Chinese, began traveling inside and outside the country, but celebrations were severely disrupted by the virus.

Ma Xiaoyi said China will intensify efforts to contain the disease, and so far the country has witnessed restrictions on movement and travel and cancellation of major events.

China Central Television reported that the government may extend the lunar new year holiday, referring to a meeting chaired by the prime minister.

The virus, which is believed to have originated late last year in a seafood market in the central city of Wuhan, which was selling unlicensed wild varieties, was transmitted to the cities of Beijing and Shanghai. Hong Kong has reported six confirmed cases.

The World Health Organization has declined to describe the virus as a global health emergency, but some health experts doubt China's ability to contain the disease.

Chinese President Xi Jinping described the situation on Saturday as "dangerous".

According to the Central TV, the government confirmed on Sunday that the number of cases had reached 2051 as of midnight on Sunday, and that the number of deaths had risen to 56.

Ban on the sale of wild animals
On Sunday, China imposed a temporary ban on selling wild animals in markets, restaurants and e-commerce platforms. Health experts say that offering wild animals for sale in cages stacked on Chinese markets, after illegally caught, makes them incubators for viruses, and that the virus can mutate inside and pass on to humans.

Snakes, peacocks, crocodiles, etc. are also put up for sale through the Tawabao app, which is managed by Ali Baba's e-commerce website.

The US State Department said today that it will evacuate its consulate staff to Wuhan, to the United States, while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said his government is working with the Chinese authorities to arrange a flight to evacuate any Japanese citizens wishing to return from Wuhan.

The outbreak led to widespread restrictions on movement within China, with an almost complete ban imposed on entry or exit from Wuhan, a city of 11 million people, where the movement was restricted to emergency vehicles.

Beijing's health authorities have urged people not to shake hands with each other, and to make do with the traditional salutation by handcuffing. This came in a text message that arrived to the city's residents this morning on their mobile phones.

And the official radio announced that Beijing postponed the reopening of schools and universities in the city until after the lunar New Year holiday. Hong Kong postponed returning to school until February 17.

Healthy insulation
Health officials in Orange County, California, reported the third case of the virus in the United States, a traveler from Wuhan, noting that he had been placed in isolation and in good health.

On Saturday, Canada revealed the first case of the virus, a resident who had returned from Wuhan. Australia confirmed the first four cases. No deaths have been reported outside of China.

Airports around the world have stepped up screening procedures for passengers from China, while some health officials and experts have questioned the viability of these efforts.

studies
Studies of the first infections indicate that the death rate from the virus is very low. French professor Yazdan Yazdanbana, who is an expert at the World Health Organization and is responsible for treating people living with HIV in France, considers that the death rate "so far is less than 5%".

The death rate of the SARS virus (acute respiratory syndrome) - one of the types of Coronaviruses that began in China in 2002 and 2003 - was 9.5%.

For an infectious disease expert at Wuhan Gui Xi'an University, the number of infections could reach its "peak" on February 8, before it begins to decline.

He told the newspaper, "Currently, the number of new casualties is increasing day by day, but that should not take long before it reaches its peak."