This undated photo shows the Huanan seafood wholesale market linked to the mysterious pneumonia outbreak in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. (PHOTO /  CCTV)

BEIJING/WUHAN - China will share with the World Health Organization (WHO) information on the genome sequence of a new-type coronavirus detected in viral pneumonia cases reported in central China's Wuhan city to safeguard global health security, the National Health Commission said Saturday.  

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The announcement came as one patient with the viral pneumonia has died in Wuhan, while seven others are in critical condition, according to local health authorities.

On Jan 5, Wuhan reported 59 viral pneumonia cases from causes previously unknown.

By Friday, tentative diagnoses showed 41 people suffering from pneumonia caused by a preliminarily determined new type of coronavirus, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said

By Friday, tentative diagnoses showed 41 people suffering from pneumonia caused by a preliminarily determined new type of coronavirus, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said.

Other patients were in stable condition, and two had been discharged from hospital.

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A total of 739 people who came in close contact with the patients, 419 of whom are medical staff, have been placed under medical observation and no related infection was found, the commission said.

The patients' health condition and epidemic situation is currently controllable, said Wang Guangfa, a member of the national medical expert team dealing with the situation.

The proportion of severe cases is similar to that among common pneumonia cases, Wang said.

On Thursday, Xu Jianguo, a Chinese expert who led a team to evaluate the pathogen test results, said preliminary lab results showed a new type of coronavirus caused the viral pneumonia in Wuhan. 

READ MORE: Evaluator says new coronavirus caused Wuhan pneumonia

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause infections ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). 

On Wednesday, World Health Organization (WHO) said the Wuhan outbreak may have been caused by a newly emerging member of the family of viruses that caused the deadly SARS and MERS outbreaks.

With Xinhua inputs