The Chinese government has locked down the city of Wuhan, a major transportation hub and the alleged cradle of the deadly coronavirus outbreak that has already killed at least 17 people.

CHINA – All the trains and planes were banned from leaving the city on Thursday, while the number of the infected people hit half a thousand mark.

According to the reports, the dangerous decease allegedly started its march from the local seafood market but, due to its high contingency, has already reached South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and even the United States.

Some specialists compare the virus to the infamous SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.

The WHO emergency committee will hold another meeting today in order to discuss the urgent measures to stop the spreading.