Novel coronavirus has not mutated: Chinese expert

Gene-sequencing of 104 novel coronavirus samples collected from different locations shows the virus has not mutated, a top Chinese expert told a news conference on Monday.

Liang Wannian, head of the Chinese expert panel on outbreak response and disposal, said that the genetic data of the samples were 99 percent homogeneous, signs that mutation hasn't occurred.

He shared what is known so far about the deadly pathogen at a news conference held by the WHO-China Joint Mission on COVID-19 in Beijing. The findings are based on the Chinese government's data and a field study in Central China's Hubei, South China's Guangdong and Southwest China's Sichuan provinces by the joint expert team, he said.

According to the findings, the average age of confirmed patients is 51, with 77.8 percent aged between 30 and 69, and 77.5 percent of the cases in Hubei province - the center of the outbreak.

The bat is likely the host, and the pangolin is possibly one of the intermediary hosts, he said.

Video: Qiao Yuhao

Video editor: Xing Xudong

Subtitle: Ma Chi

Supervisors: Zhang Chunyan and Wang Jianfen