Dr. Sylvie Briand (Photo: WHO)

Dr. Sylvie Briand, director of the WHO’s Infectious Hazards Management Department, said in a press conference that the virus is currently considered to be an epidemic with multiple locations.

The same day, WHO officials said that no evidence has been recorded of coronavirus variants. This appears to be a relatively constant type of coronavirus.

A Cameroon student who is studying in China has become the first African citizen to test positive for the virus. The student is being treated in Hubei province.

As of Wednesday morning, China had recorded 24,324 infected people, 3,887 of  them new cases, and 65 new fatalities, bringing the total number of deaths in China to 490.

Chinese authorities have imposed travel restrictions in two more cities, Taizhou and Hangzhou in Zhejiang province. In addition, the Chinese government has accepted assistance from US experts in a WHO mission to help find ways to control nCoV.

Since February 7, the Taiwanese administration has refused to receive foreign citizens who have been to mainland China within 14 days.

The South Korean Defense Ministry will deploy an additional 200 military personnel to Incheon International airport to support a quarantine in immigration areas.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense says a second craft of the Russian Aerospace Forces carrying 64 passengers left Wuhan city on Tuesday. They will be isolatedquarantined in Tyumen province.

The Indian government has tightened immigration procedures and cancelled all Indian visas of Chinese citizens and foreigners who have been in China during the last 2 weeks. It also banned all Indian airlines from processing any Chinese passengers.

Algeria and Turkey’s airlines have temporarily halted all flights to or from China.