UAE: First case of new coronavirus confirmed, in family from Wuhan

Dubai, Jan 29: The United Arab Emirates announced Wednesday its first case of the new coronavirus, in a family from Wuhan, in what is thought to be the first confirmed case in the Middle East.

"The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention announced a case of the new coronavirus affecting people from one family coming from the city of Wuhan in China," the state news agency WAM reported, without saying how many were infected.

"It added in a statement that the health condition of those affected was stable and under medical monitoring."

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases in the new virus outbreak in China reached 5,974 on Wednesday, overtaking the number of people infected in the mainland by the SARS epidemic in 2002-3.

China's national health commission reported more than 1,400 confirmed new cases on Wednesday, as the death toll rose to 132.