A timeline of the coronavirus outbreak

News of the deadly coronavirus outbreak has gripped global media as the virus has spread from China to countries around the world including the US, Germany, Australia, Japan, and Vietnam. The death toll currently stands at over 100, with over 4,000 infected.

The virus was first detected at the end of December last year in the Chinese city of Wuhan. It is believed to have emerged as a result of the consumption of a pathogen usually found in wild animals. Exotic animals are commonly found in markets in China, where their meat is sold for food or traditional medicines.

Here is a timeline of the outbreak

December 31: Chinese officials alert the World Health Organization (WHO) about a number of flu-like cases in Wuhan.

January 1: Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market shut down after being identified as the source of the outbreak, most of those infected worked there.

January 3: Passengers flying domestically from Wuhan Airport are subject to temperature screening.

January 5: WHO advises against travel or trade restrictions with China, in spite of the outbreak.

January 7: WHO identifies the virus as 2019n-CoV, part of the coronavirus family, which includes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and the common cold.

January 11: The first death from the virus is reported by the Chinese authorities, a 61-year-old man who was admitted to hospital on December 27.

January 15: The first case outside China is reported by the Thai authorities, a Chinese woman who had just travelled from Wuhan.

January 16: Japan reports its first confirmed case, a man who had visited Wuhan.

January 17: A second person, a 69-year-old man, dies in Wuhan, and three US airports – John F. Kennedy in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles – announce plans to screen passengers arriving from the region.

January 20: South Korea reports its first confirmed case, as Chinese authorities report a third death, and over 200 cases.

January 21: The US, Australia, and Taiwan report their first confirmed cases of coronavirus, all people who had recently returned from China.

January 22: Macau reports its first confirmed case of the virus as the death toll from the outbreak totals 17, with 550 confirmed infections. WHO meets in Geneva to discuss declaring an international health emergency, as China’s Huanan province bans the sale of poultry.

January 23: Singapore reports its first case of coronavirus, while Vietnam confirms two infections. Transport links to and from Wuhan, and two other cities in Hubei province, Xiantao and Chibi, are suspended as the cities are put under effective quarantine. Beijing’s Lunar New Year celebrations, scheduled for January 25, are cancelled after Chinese authorities report the first death outside Hubei province.

January 24: South Korea and Japan confirm new cases. The death toll rises to 26, with the number of infections reaching 830, including 95 patients in critical condition. Chinese authorities start to shut down tourist attractions, including sections of the Great Wall, and Shanghai’s Disneyland.

January 25: France reports three confirmed cases, the first in Europe, as Malaysian authorities report four, and Nepal reports one. The number of confirmed cases outside China total 23, with 1,320 cases reported worldwide.

China bans the trade of wild animals and raises the number of cities in Hubei province under quarantine to 18, affecting 56 million people. Hong Kong declares a virus emergency, cancelling Lunar New Year celebrations and suspending transport links to China.

January 26: Mexico reports its first confirmed case, the US confirms two cases in Orange County, and one in Arizona. Beijing and Shanghai report first deaths from the virus. Japan reports a fourth case. The death toll rises to 56, with nearly 2,000 reported cases, as France and the US announce plans to evacuate citizens stranded in Wuhan, while Hong Kong, and Taiwan tighten travel restrictions.

January 27: Canada, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia report their first confirmed cases. Australia and Taiwan report their fifth cases, and South Korea reports a fourth. The death toll in China rises to 106, including 100 in Hubei province. The number of confirmed infections reaches 4,515, including 1,423 new cases in Hubei province, since the previous day. Russia, Spain, Sri Lanka and Thailand join other governments in requesting China to release their nationals. Australia, Germany, India, and Britain reportedly consider evacuation options.

January 28: Germany reports its first confirmed case, with Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand announcing new cases. Germany and Japanese cases confirm first instance of human transmission. The number infected now totals at least 4,500. The US reports five cases, Singapore confirms a further two cases, bringing the total in the country to seven, while Thai authorities reported a further six cases, with 14 confirmed in the country.

Chinese President Xi Jinping says “the epidemic is a demon, and we cannot let this demon hide,” at a meeting with the head of the WHO.