Second person dies of pneumonia-like illness in China 

A second person has died in the mysterious pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, China, according to Chinese health officials. The patient — identified as Xiong Moumou — was 69 and had developed inflammation in his heart and abnormal function in his organs before dying Wednesday. The news comes as authorities have also identified cases of the illness — believed to be caused by a new type of coronavirus — in two other countries, Thailand and Japan. In all, there are 43 confirmed cases of the disease.

German scientists have developed the first diagnostic to detect the virus behind the recent illnesses, the AP reported yesterday. Physicians thus far have had to genetically sequence the virus in order to confirm its relation to the outbreak, but doctors can now order a test molecule through the WHO and compare it with their patient samples.