Sri Lanka, Jan. 18 -- The Health Ministry has cautioned Sri Lankans to be vigilant of the warnings that are issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) of a new coronavirus which originated in China.

Necessary measures will be taken duly in case of a wider outbreak, the Health Ministry assured.

According to the WHO's statement, on the 8th of January, a person from Wuhan, China, who was traveling in Thailand had been diagnosed with novel coronavirus by Thai officials.

Foreign media reported that the pathogen could be from a new type of coronavirus, a large family of viruses that can cause infections ranging from the common cold to deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). In 2002-2003, the massive outbreak of a SARS epidemic pe...