Image Source: TRIBUNE

An outbreak of a new coronavirus has spread to more Chinese cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, national and local authorities confirmed on Monday.

As the virus triggered panic, President Xi Jinping said curbing the outbreak and saving lives was a top priority as the number of patients more than tripled and a third person died. Adding to the difficulties of containing the virus, hundreds of millions of Chinese will be traveling domestically and abroad during the Lunar New Year holiday that starts this week. Authorities around the globe, including in the United States and many Asian countries, have stepped up screening of travelers from Wuhan, the central city where the virus was first discovered.