Taiwan confirms first domestic case of Wuhan coronavirus

Taipei, Jan. 28 (CNA) Taiwan on Tuesday confirmed its first domestic case of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

The man, in his 50s, is believed to have contracted the virus from his wife, who returned from the Chinese city of Wuhan Jan. 20 and was diagnosed with the virus on Monday, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

The husband began to have a cough on Sunday and tested positive on Tuesday, the center said. 

It is Taiwan’s eighth confirmed case of the Wuhan-originated coronavirus and the first one with no recent travel record to China.

As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, 578 suspected 2019-nCoV cases had been reported in Taiwan, with eight tested positive, the CECC said.

While 321 of the suspected cases have been cleared of having the virus, the rest are still undergoing laboratory tests, the center added.

Based on statistics from China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 4,515 confirmed 2019-nCoV cases have been recorded in China, with 106 fatalities.

Meanwhile, at least 69 cases have been recorded outside of China.