New mystery virus not easily transmitted - WHO

SWITZERLAND: A new mysterious respiratory virus that has killed at least one person and left another in critical condition does not appear very contagious, the World Health Organisation said Friday.

“From the information available thus far, it appears that the novel coronavirus cannot be easily transmitted from person to person,” the WHO said in a statement.

WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told reporters in Geneva that rapid progress was being made in characterising the disease and developing diagnostic tests, which would be made available as quickly as possible.

The origin of the new virus was still unknown, he said.

The UN health agency has previously confirmed that the new illness was in the coronavirus family, which also includes the deadly SARS virus as well as the common cold.

The new virus however is different from SARS, especially in that it causes rapid kidney failure.

The new virus has caused the death of a Saudi national and has also left a Qatari man seriously ill in a London hospital after he was transferred there from Doha earlier this month, the WHO previously reported, adding that he had also been in Saudi Arabia.

AFP