Photos show the precautions being taken to try and stop the deadly, rapidly spreading Wuhan virus
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Health authorities and airports around the world are taking precautions against the deadly disease spreading across Asia, known colloquially as the Wuhan virus.
These precautions include wearing masks and the conducting of screenings on passengers flying out of infected areas at airports.
The virus was first detected in the city of Wuhan in China, and has killed six people so far.
Symptoms are likened to that of pneumonia, and fears are increasing over its spread as the Lunar New Year approaches, with millions of people set to travel around China.
Health authorities globally are heightening precautionary measures against a deadly virus that has killed six people in China as of Tuesday.
The virus is somewhat of a mystery, but symptoms have been likened to pneumonia, and fears around its spread are invoking memories of the devastating SARS outbreak in China in 2003 that resulted in the death of 800 people.
As of Tuesday, the virus has killed six people and as many as 300 are thought to be infected, according to Reuters, which cited authorities in China.
Authorities in Asia and the US, as well as the World Health Organization are keen to prevent the spread of the virus to avoid the possibility of a global epidemic.
Precautions have included the wearing of masks, screenings at the airport, and medical examinations on flights out of the city of Wuhan.
The photos below show the precautions being taken to stop the deadly virus' spread:
Health officials believe that the virus originated in a seafood market in Wuhan and that most of those infected had been near the market.
Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images
Source: BBC
Wearing masks is one precaution people are taking in an attempt to protect themselves from the spread of the virus.
NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP via Getty ImagesAuthorities said on Monday the virus can be spread from human to human, after previously thinking it was only spread from animals to humans.
Reuters
Source: Business Insider
Videos and photos of people lining up to buy masks circulated on Chinese social media, as people scrambled to protect themselves.
NICOLAS ASFOURI / AFP
Source: Reuters
Medics in hazmat suits also scanned passengers on planes coming out the China for the virus.
Chinese social media via David Paulk/Twitter
The medical staff appear to be wearing a Level D hazmat suit and was tweeted by David Paulk, a journalist at Sixth Tone, a news site based in Shanghai. The clip had circulated on Chinese social media.
In the US, the Centres for Disease Control and prevention is carrying out screenings in an attempt to detect the virus.
David McNew/Getty Images
Source: Business Insider
Screenings are being held on connecting flights at three US airports that receive the highest number of people travelling from to Wuhan, China.
David McNew/Getty Images
Source: Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
The World Health Organization is due to hold a meeting on Wednesday to decide whether to declare a 'public health emergency.'
STR/AFP via Getty Images
Source: The World Health Organization (WHO)
In this meeting more details will be revealed about precautionary measures to halt the risk of a global health epidemic.
STR/AFP via Getty Images
Source: The World Health Organization
Concerns over the spread of the virus are heightening as the Lunar New Year is approaching, a celebration during which many people in Asia will be travelling.
Getty Images
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