Hong Kong reports 1st coronavirus death

A woman in Hong Kong wears a face mask on the subway.
(Image credit: Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

A 39-year-old man from Hong Kong who traveled to Wuhan, China, last month died on Tuesday from the new coronavirus, hospital officials said.

The highly contagious coronavirus originated in Wuhan, and this is the second death from the outbreak to take place outside of mainland China. The man went to Wuhan on Jan. 21 and returned to Hong Kong two days later, and was hospitalized on Jan. 31. Officials said he had a preexisting condition. His mother did not go to Wuhan but has contracted the virus; the man's wife, two children, and a person who works for the family have all been quarantined.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.