Coronavirus claims ninth victim as anxiety rises in China, overseas

BEIJING -- The number of cases of a new virus has risen to 440 in China and the death toll to 9, Chinese health authorities said Wednesday. Deputy Director of the National Health Commission Li Bin told reporters that the figures were current as of midnight Tuesday. All the deaths had been in Hubei province, home to Wuhan city where the first illnesses from coronavirus were reported in late December. Li said that marked an increase of 149 confirmed cases. He said Japan and South Korea had confirm