BEIJING, January 20. /TASS/. China's National Health Commission has confirmed Monday that a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) can be transmitted people-to-people, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Chinese authorities said that evidence suggests that the virus can be transmitted people-to-people which requires urgent measures in dealing with the outbreak.

Chief epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention Zeng Guang said that the outbreak of the new coronavirus can be reversed if measures are taken now.

Head of the expert team of China's National Health Commission Zhong Nanshan said that at least 14 medical staff were infected with the new coronavirus. Zhong said that over 95% of cases are linked to the city of Wuhan.

A total of 218 cases of the new coronavirus have been confirmed in China — in Wuhan, Beijing, Shanghai and in the Guandong province in China's south.