BEIJING -- China said Wednesday, January 22, that the number of cases of a new virus has risen to 440 and the death toll has risen to 9.

Deputy Director of the National Health Commission Li Bin told reporters on Wednesday that the figures were current as of midnight Tuesday, January 21, and all the deaths had been in Hubei province, where the first illnesses from the new coronavirus were reported in December.

Li said that marked an increase of 149 confirmed cases. He said Japan and South Korea had confirmed one case each and Thailand three. The US and Taiwan also confirmed one case each on Tuesday. (AP)