American and Japanese Patients Treated in Wuhan Die... First Non-Chinese Deaths

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] An American who was receiving treatment for the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, has died, and a Japanese person undergoing pneumonia treatment has also died, marking the first death outside of Chinese nationals. Until now, deaths outside mainland China have occurred once each in the Philippines and Hong Kong, but all the deceased were Chinese nationals.

According to foreign media such as the AP News, on the 8th, the U.S. Embassy in China announced that a 60-year-old American citizen died from the novel coronavirus at a hospital in Wuhan on the 6th. The detailed identity was not disclosed for privacy reasons. This patient was known to have underlying health conditions and is presumed to be the first foreigner death from the novel coronavirus, not a Chinese national.

The Japanese person who was receiving treatment in Wuhan is also reported to have died. According to Kyodo News, on the 8th, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that a Japanese person in their 60s who was hospitalized with pneumonia symptoms in Wuhan had died. The Ministry did not disclose detailed identity, specific circumstances, or the date of death citing privacy protection. If it is confirmed that the Japanese deceased had pneumonia symptoms caused by novel coronavirus infection, they will be recorded as the first Japanese death from the novel coronavirus.

Meanwhile, until now, the only deaths outside mainland China have been a Chinese man from Wuhan in the Philippines and a 39-year-old Chinese man who died in Hong Kong.

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