Belgium Reports First Confirmed Case of Novel Coronavirus

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] Belgium has reported its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection.

On the 4th, Belgian health authorities announced that among nine nationals repatriated from Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus, on the 2nd, one tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

All of them were tested at a military hospital in the capital, Brussels, and the remaining eight tested negative.

Belgian health authorities reported that the person who tested positive is in good health. This individual was transferred to a specialized hospital for further treatment, while the others remain under observation in isolation.

As the novel coronavirus infection spreads, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern." Meanwhile, the National Health Commission of China (NHC) announced that as of midnight on the 4th, the cumulative confirmed cases nationwide in 31 provinces reached 20,438, with 425 deaths.