Guangdong reports virus infections in family clusters

Guangdong province reported six family clusters in which more than one member in a family were infected by the new strain of coronavirus by midnight on Wednesday.

They involved 17 patients.

The province had confirmed 32 patients infected by the virus, four of whom had not traveled or lived in Hubei province before they fell ill. Hubei is the focal point of the recent outbreak.

A total of 212 people who had had close contact with the confirmed patients were under observation.

Guangdong provincial government triggered on Thursday the top response under the four-level major public health emergency response system.