The Managing Director of IMF said it was "too early" to assess the full impact of the epidemic but acknowledged that it had already affected sectors such as tourism and transportation.
The new coronavirus strain has caused alarm because of its connection to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.
Patients showed symptoms such as fever and cough before January 13 and have been moved to Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan, except for the ones whose conditions are serious.
