Europe's First Wuhan Pneumonia Case and Additional US Confirmed Cases Lead to Stock Market Plunge

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Following the occurrence of the second Wuhan pneumonia patient in the United States, the first confirmed case of Wuhan pneumonia in Europe has been reported in France. Concerns are growing that Wuhan pneumonia could spread internationally, causing the US stock market to plunge sharply.

Agnes Buzyn, France's Minister of Health, announced on the 24th (local time) that two people who traveled to China were confirmed to have Wuhan pneumonia. This is the first case of Wuhan pneumonia in Europe. One is a 48-year-old man from Wuhan who is currently isolated in downtown Bordeaux, and the other developed symptoms after returning from China and is receiving treatment in Paris, but detailed personal information has not been disclosed.

Minister Buzyn predicted, "Additional outbreaks are expected," indicating that more cases will follow.

She explained, "The reason France confirmed Wuhan pneumonia cases faster than other European countries is because a new testing method was introduced, allowing for quicker test results."

In the United States, a second confirmed case of Wuhan pneumonia has emerged. The patient is a woman residing in Chicago who traveled to Wuhan, China, and an epidemiological investigation of dozens of contacts is underway.

The day before, the World Health Organization (WHO) judged that Wuhan pneumonia was not yet at the stage to declare an international emergency, and the financial markets, which had shown signs of recovery, are now fluctuating again. As confirmed cases continue to appear in the US and Europe, markets are under downward pressure.

On this day, the Dow Jones Industrial Average in the New York Stock Exchange fell by as much as 220 points during the session, breaking below the 29,000 mark. Although the decline narrowed slightly afterward, selling pressure remains dominant in the market.