Chinese officials also said that six health workers have died from the disease now known as COVID-19. Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases worldwide rose to more than 64,000.
"Right now, the U.S.-China relationship is suffering from a deep deficit of trust," says Evan Medeiros, a former National Security Council chief adviser for Asia.
Most cases of the illness are characterized as mild, with symptoms similar to those of a common cold or the flu. But there have been over 1,300 deaths.
So far, only 15 cases of coronavirus disease have been identified in the U.S. But if large numbers of people were to suddenly get infected, would hospitals be prepared to cope?
Students, business owners, sanitation workers and doctors are all struggling to cope with the daily frustrations of living in a city of 7 million that's afraid of an outbreak of COVID-19.
Hubei province has added "clinical cases" to the count — patients who exhibit all the symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, but have either not been tested or tested negative.
Many respiratory illnesses, such as colds and flus, peak in winter, then die down with warmer weather. Some experts wonder if COVID-19 will follow a similar pattern.
Tales of life on a ship quarantined in Japan amid a coronavirus outbreak are hurting bookings for the growing cruise line industry. But the industry has shaken off worse crises, an analyst says.