US NYT: "New Coronavirus Highly Contagious... Could Become a Global Pandemic"

Amid concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus, on the morning of the 29th of last month, citizens wearing masks are walking at Gwanghwamun Station on Seoul Subway Line 5. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] The novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) is reported by the American daily newspaper The New York Times (NYT) to have the potential to spread as a global pandemic.

According to the NYT on the 2nd (local time), Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, predicted, "The novel coronavirus is highly contagious and will become a pandemic."

Director Fauci analyzed, "The spread rate of the novel coronavirus is similar to that of the flu, rather than Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)."

SARS had a cumulative total of 8,098 confirmed cases over nine months, and MERS had about 2,500 cases, but the novel coronavirus has already surpassed 17,000 confirmed cases in less than two months since its outbreak.

The media forecasted that if the novel coronavirus spreads worldwide, it will have a greater impact in countries where healthcare systems are not systematically established.

Meanwhile, according to the National Health Commission of China (NHC) on the 3rd, as of 12:00 AM, the number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases nationwide across 31 provinces was 17,205, with 361 deaths reported.

The NHC stated that among the confirmed cases, 2,296 are severe patients, and 475 have been discharged after recovery. It is reported that the number of suspected cases has reached 21,558 so far.

According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of 9:00 AM on the 2nd, confirmed overseas cases were counted as follows: Thailand 19, Singapore 16, Japan 15, Australia 12, Malaysia 8, United States and Germany 7 each, Vietnam 6, UAE and Canada 4 each, Italy, United Kingdom, and Russia 2 each, and Sweden, Spain, Finland, Cambodia, Philippines, India, and Sri Lanka 1 each.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.