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Coronavirus outbreak in China to peak this month

Approximately by April, the epidemiological situation in the country will stabilize

BEIJING, February 18. /TASS/. The novel coronavirus outbreak in China is expected to peak in late February, Zeng Yixin, vice minister of China's National Health Commission, said on Tuesday, adding that the epidemiological situation in the country is expected to stabilize by April.

"According to the existing numerical model and current measures of the government, peak numbers might be reached in the second or third decade of Febraury," China’s Central Television quoted him as saying.

"Approximately by April, the epidemiological situation in the country will stabilize," the official said during a video linkup with doctors working the city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.

In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the WHO about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. Coronavirus cases have also been reported in 25 other countries, including Russia. The WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global health emergency and named the virus COVID-19. According to the latest data, the overall number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in China stands at about 72,400, with almost 1,900 deaths. About 12,500 patients have recovered to date.