Should the coronavirus outbreak be declared a global emergency?

The number of new cases of coronavirus has risen sharply in China.

At least nine people have died from the virus and there are at least 440 confirmed cases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is meeting in Geneva Wednesday to determine whether the outbreak should be declared a global health crisis.

Authorities in Thailand, Japan, South Korea, United States, Taiwan, and Macao have all reported cases.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause respiratory illnesses. Some coronaviruses can cause no or mild illness, like the common cold, but other coronaviruses can cause severe illness, like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.

Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death.

Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. Some human coronaviruses spread easily between people, while others do not.

According to Canadian health officials, a cluster of cases of pneumonia was reported in Wuhan, China on Dec. 31, 2019, and coronavirus was determined to be the likely cause.

Some cases were linked to the Huanan Seafood Market and the market was shut down as of January 1, 2020, for cleaning and disinfection.

Many cases have not been linked to the market, and the source of the virus is still unknown.

Chinese officials are warning it could spread further and are urging people in the city of Wuhan to avoid crowds and public gatherings.