MOSCOW, January 27. /TASS/. The majority of people infected with a new type of coronavirus are over 60, head of the Russian Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare Anna Popova told reporters on Monday.

"I would like to point out that according to the special data in our possession, about 80% of those infected are over 60 years of age, and practically all difficult cases are due to a corresponding somatic pathology," Popova commented.

Earlier, Popova said that the virus’ average mortality is not very high; however, the situation must be kept under control. The federal service is taking all the necessary measures and monitoring new information on the coronavirus. It is also checking all passengers arriving from China for symptoms of flu or high fever.

On December 31, 2019, Chinese authorities informed the World Health Organization (WHO) about an outbreak of an unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan — a large trade and industrial center in central China populated by 11 million people. On January 7, Chinese experts identified the infecting agent — coronavirus 2019-nCoV.

According to the latest data, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in China reached 2,800, with 81 deaths reported. The new type of coronavirus has already been identified in almost all Chinese provinces including Beijing and Shanghai as well as in other countries — Australia, Malaysia, Nepal, France, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore, the United States and Japan. The WHO recognized the pneumonia outbreak in China as a national emergency but stopped short of declaring an international one.

The Russian Health Ministry informed earlier that it had begun the search for the vaccine against the virus, holding talks with Chinese researchers on the possibility of getting access to biological materials in order to begin elaborating the vaccine.